It's the end of the road for analog TV broadcasting. For some, the ride to an All- Digital TV Age could be bumpy. We are grateful to Joe Gordon of a.b.c. who is working to ensure that, in the transition, the FCC doesn't overlook the needs of people with hearing loss. The FCC has a bulletin you will want to check out to see what action might be needed, down the road, to keep the closed captions coming.

Looking for better performance from your telephone? Curious about how you can use your computer like a phone? Josh Gendel, the League's Director, Assistive Technology Center, shares the latest on assistive listening devices. He says:

If you're using the telephone and you find the person's voice is too soft, there is a small amplifier that can be added to any land line phone that will not only make the voice louder, but with its treble control, can make the voice "sharper."

If you're getting a new phone (cordless or land line), consider an amplified phone. If you're getting a new cell phone and wish to use it with a hearing aid telephone switch, be sure that the cell phone is rated M3/T3 or M4/T4 by its manufacturer. If you currently have a cell phone and get annoying interference (e.g., pops, clicks, howling sounds), when using it with a hearing aid telephone switch, there is a special adapter that will lessen or eliminate these problems.

For individuals with poor speech discrimination and for whom no amount of amplification or tonal adjustments will help, the use of a text device is recommended. This can mean using a fax machine, email, computer, instant messaging (e.g., AIM, discussed in last month's Buzz), a cell phone with text capabilities, sign language relay service or a TTY device.

Web CAPTEL is a great new option if you have a computer and wish to use the CAPTEL captioning service without having to get a special CAPTEL telephone.

Finally, if you wish to communicate by voice with another person via computer, it is possible to set it up so that not only can you receive the sound of the other person's voice over the internet, you can also see their face, which allows you to speechread. To make this happen, both parties need relatively fast computers, webcams, and the appropriate software.

Soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan are suffering permanent hearing loss and ringing in their ears due to blasts from roadside bombs. Hearing damage is the No. 1 disability in the war on terror, according to the Associated Press. Nearly 70,000 troops who have served in the two war zones are collecting disability for tinnitus, a potentially debilitating ringing in the ear.

Susan Adams, audiologist and coordinator of the League's Tinnitus and Hyperacusis Center tells us, "The issue of tinnitus can be frustrating because many health professionals tell their patients the best course of treatment is to learn to live with it. But at the League we have seen a success rate for clients with severe tinnitus of 80% using Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT). There is real help available, and we encourage servicemen and women to seek it out." For more information on tinnitus or to schedule an appointment, phone the League's audiology department at (917) 305-7751.

The Brooklyn Center for Independence of the Disabled is hosting a day of free tax preparation on April 1, 2008. To make an appointment, contact Mike Godino, Director of Advocacy at (718) 998-3000 (Voice) or (718) 998-7406 (TTY).

League client and friend, Josh Swiller, is the subject of an insightful piece in the New York Times about his experiences with hearing loss. Before becoming an implant recipient, Josh received encouragement at the League's Cochlear Implant Support Group. Please check out the link below to read the Times article.

If you or someone you know might benefit from our Cochlear Implant Support Group coming up March 27th, please call (917) 305-7751 for information. We welcome those contemplating an implant as well as those who have received one and might have questions to ask or experiences to share. The topic will be "How to Use Your Cochlear Implant Accessories."

If you haven't attended this annual event before, we urge you to join us April 29th and 30th for 2 Nights of Comedy, an event benefiting the League for the Hard of Hearing. It's stand-up comedy made accessible through real-time captioning, sign language interpreters and infrared listening systems. Come to this one-of-a-kind event at New York City's prestigious Gotham Comedy Club. You'll support the League and have a ball! How could it not be funny...it's an election year.

AG Bell is offering a three-day program for teens, ages 15-18, who are interested in becoming more involved in their surroundings as leaders and mentors. Leadership Opportunities for Teens (LOFT) will take place June 24-27 in Milwaukee prior to the AG Bell Convention.

An Early Childhood Studio Workshop for Children and Friends of the League will take place April 6 from 10:15 AM to 12:00 PM. It's a unique opportunity for children age 4-7 to view and create art at MoMA. It's free, but reservations are needed. Please phone (917) 305-7808.

The League's 2008 Annual Meeting will be held on May 6th. More information to come.

The next Cochlear Implant Support Group is on March 27th. Please call (917) 305-7751 for information.

2 Nights of Comedy coming up April 29th and 30th. Please phone (917) 305-7702 for information.

We encourage you to use the "Forward the Buzz to a Friend" feature at the bottom of this page to send this invitation to anyone you know who might be interested in attending these events.

Look for Marlee Matlin and Jeff Daniels to appear in a Hallmark Hall of Fame television movie premiere, Sweet Nothing In My Ear. Airing April 20th on CBS, the film deals with parents who have conflicting ideas about how their deaf child should be raised. Check your local guide for details.

It's daylight savings time. Longer days mean you can fit more into them. What better time to visit the League for a free hearing screening.

Free screenings are available at the League for the Hard of Hearing by appointment only every Tuesday and Thursday:

Tuesdays, Noon-2:00 PM
Thursdays, 4:00-6:00 PM

Location: 50 Broadway, 6th Floor, NYC, NY 10004

Call (917) 305-7766 or email appointments@lhh.org to reserve a screening time. (Tell them that the League Buzz sent you!)

No gift is too small or too big. Please support the League for the Hard of Hearing.

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We invite you to join us as partners in brightening the lives of people who are deaf, hard of hearing and deaf-blind. There are countless ways that you can become involved and help. Together we can assure a world without limits.

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