[nagdu] Question concerning Deafness with guide dogs

Thu Feb 26 00:29:16 UTC 2015

Hi marsha and all,

Thank you so much for giving us this glimpse into how you are able to lead
an independent life with your dog. I had not heard about such cards before,
so surely you are educating many people besides me. I know we appreciate
your sharing how you and your dog work together.

Sherrill

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Marsha Drenth via
nagdu
Sent: February 25, 2015 6:39 PM
To: Chaim B. Segal; NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide
Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Question concerning Deafness with guide dogs

Its seems you have asked your questions in the right place as there are
several deafblind hard of hearing visually impaired persons on this list. 
Now in regards to the lady in your class. Yes there are systems that one can
use called an FM system or a bluetooth system that the audio goes directly
into the persons hearing aids. An FM system uses like I say a radio
frequency, the blue tooth systems use bluetooth. I have a bluetooth system,
that I use on occasion, I use this system over an FM system as I find it
more reliable. It really depends on the persons hearing  loss, for me I have
the hardest time hearing voices, and if there is alot of back ground noise
its almost impossible. 
So when I was in class, I used a similiar system to the person in your
class, either a FM or bluettoth system. I can not hear much without this
system, so my instructors would wear this, anyone wanting to speak to me,
would wear my microphone. 
As far as crossing streets, I use a street crossing card. I work my dog to
the corner, know where I need to go, which way I need to cross. Hold up a
special sign that says I need assistance in crossing the street and that I
am deafblind. the sign shows a picture of someone helping a person across
the street. I verbally tell the person I want to cross, Main street or 9th,
or whatever. I ask if I can take their elbow, and when its safe we cross.
Once at the other side, I say thank you, and go on my way. Normally the
person will say other things to me, but I can't understand or hear them. I
hold on to my dogs harness handle and leash as usual. Yes it take a bit
longer to get the assistance a person needs, but I am safe. I will not let,
or allow my dog make this determination of when its safe to cross the street
solely on her own. Its giving the dog alot of responsibility. 
Yes Leader Dogs, Guiding Eyes, and Guide dog Foundation all have programs
for deafblind persons. If a person is an ASL user, then the instructor will
need to either know sign, or to use an interpretor. 
If I were to need to go back to class, which I am not planning on needing to
get another pup, I would need a sign interpretor now. 
Yes it might seem limiting, but besides using technology, I also use
communication cards. I have  a card, that gives a bit of instructions to
answer me, they need to put my finger on the yes or no. I have the card in
braille, so  I know which is yes and no. So if I need to communicate with
the public, to ask which corner am I on, I will use this caard. I will ask,
Am I on the corner of 9th and Main street? There response should be either
yes or no. I also have a card with numbers. So for example if they did say
that I was on the corner of 9th and Main street, and I knew that there was a
starbucks on that corner, I would ask, Am I on the corner with Starbucks?
and they would respond with Yes and or no. 
Now if a person who is deafblind and does not have the ability to use their
voice, there are others ways of doing this also. Either using technology or
the communication cards. I am able to use my voice, granted I do not know
how loud or soft I am speaking, or how I sound, I can speak verbally. 
I know that this is in the case of a few  on this list who  are deafblind
handlers. I use hand commands. At Leader dogs the dogs are taught to
recognize sign language. I do not always speak to my pup verbally. My school
uses hand commands, and for those hand commands that my school did not
already use or teach my pup, I have created ones for different tasks. 
I hope this answered your questions. If you have more please do ask.
And lastly, I have no issues answering yours or anyones questions. this is
how we all learn. I once was a blind person, with no hearing losss. Its
scary for a blind person to think about losing their hearing. And yes, the
things I described above might seem different, might not seem like the same
independence. But in reality, deafblind persons are just as independent,
sometimes much more so. But we just have different ways of doing things. We
have many different ways of communication, of traveling, of interacting with
our world and getting information, but we are just like you all. I am not
saying that this message is directed at you, or anyone inn general,, but to
the list as a whole. Its a message I seem to be conveying to people who do
not understand deafblindness. 
Okay, I am off my soap   box now...hehehe! 

Marsha drenth  
email: marsha.drenth at gmail.com  
Sent with my IPhone  
Please note that this email communication has been sent using my iPhone. As
such, I may have used dictation and had made attempts to mitigate errors.
Please do not be hesitant to ask for clarification as necessary. 

> On Feb 25, 2015, at 3:52 PM, Chaim B. Segal via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
wrote:
> 
> Hi All:
> 
> This question is primarily for Marsha and all other deaf-blind folks out
here. I am asking this solely out of curiosity 
> 
> Two classes back at Seeing Eye, there was an older woman in my class who
was losing her hearing. When the instructors spoke to us as a group, they
each needed to attach some type of microphone to him or herself for her  to
hear them speak, and I am unsure she even got most of what was being said. I
believe they worked with her separately from the rest of the class. I did
not get a good shot at asking her about some specifics of working a dog with
her circumstances.
> 
> For those of you who are completely deaf and blind, or even mostly deaf,
how do you know when to give your dog the command to cross the street at a
lighted intersection? In my neighborhood, there are a few audio signals
which also vibrate. However, most older signals do not do this. Of course,
the dog cannot tell when the light changes?
> 
> Also, considering the fact that the dog responds to auditory commands,
such as "forward", "right", left", "Leave it", how does a guide dog user,
who is totally mute command their dog? I am guessing that a deaf-blind
person's mobility on the outside might be slightly more limited than ours,
but I don't want to make any unfair assumptions.
> 
> Last but not least, how are you people trained if you are totally deaf? I
have heard that Leader Dogs trains deaf-blind handlers, but don't know the
specifics. Do the instructors use hand-to-hand ASL? Or, do they use some
other type of technology to communicate with deaf clients?
> 
> Again, I'm just curious.
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> 
> Chaim 
> 
> Chaim B. Segal
> Customer Service Representative: Sinclair Community College, Dayton, Ohio
> 
> Every man, woman every boy and girl,
> Let your love light shine and make a better world
> 
> Daryl Hall And John Oates 
> 
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