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Hard of Hearing Services & Specialized Telecommunications Assistance Program (STAP)
Esther Kelly, Hearing Loss Resource Specialist, addresses the needs of people who are hard of hearing or late deafened. Esther's one on one consultations are free of charge. Her services include the following:
- Conducting Living with Hearing Loss Classes, which offer information on psychosocial issues, coping strategies, assistive technology, creative communication and understanding hearing loss and wearing hearing aids.
- Offering one on one hearing loss consultations, in-office, or in private homes for people who are unable to travel. will evaluate your personal hearing loss needs, and offer the best possible solutions to meet those needs.
- Assessing your hearing loss needs in your workplace environment, suggesting cutting edge technology and coping strategies that will better assist you in your current position.
- Providing a Technology Center where people with hearing loss can come and experiment with, and assess for themselves, the latest in assistive devices for the hard of hearing.
- Providing information regarding additional resources available, such as:
Esther Kelly is also available to give short presentations relating to hearing loss, or full day workshops. Each year, Hearing Loss Workshops are held in 11 different cities across Texas. Esther's workshops offer Continuing Education Credits to:
- Audiologist
- Speech Pathologists
- Hearing Aid Dispensers
- VR Counselors
- ECI Counselors
- Occupational Therapists
- Social Workers
Other professionals are also invited, as well as individuals with hearing loss, their families, friends and co-workers.
To learn more about Esther Kelly's 6-Program, 2-DVD Series, "Solutions for People with Hearing Loss In Career & Education Environments" click: More Infomation This DVD set can be purchased at a special price for a limited time. ORDER TODAY!
For more information, or to make an appointment with Esther or a Hearing Loss Resource Specialist, call or email: Esther Kelly, hoh@deafactioncentertexas.org , Deaf Action Center, 3115 Crestview Drive, Dallas, TX 75235, Phone: 214.521.0407, Cell: 214.952.7411, Fax: 214.521.3658. To get driving instructions to our center, click on the following link: contact us .
STAP Coordinator (Specialized Telecommunication Assistance Program)
Our STAP Coordinator will help you better understand the following, and answer any questions you may have regarding the STAP Program and the assistive telecommunication devices provided by the State of Texas.
- Are you hard of hearing?
- Are you deaf?
- Are you deaf/blind?
- Are you vision impaired?
- Are you speech impaired?
- Are you mobility impaired?
- Are you cognitive impaired?
Equal Access for all Texans
By law, The State of Texas is committed to help Texas residents, who need assistance, receive specialized telephone equipment through the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services - Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services. (DARS-DHHS)
Available Equipment:
- Amplified Telephone for people who can comprehend speech on a telephone, but need to control both volume and clarity.
- Captioned Telephone or VCO for people who have difficulty hearing on the telephone, but wish to talk to their party and read what the caller is saying to them on the display screen
- 2 Way Pager or TTY for those people who cannot hear or talk on the telephone.
- Equipment for Speech Impairment for those people who have no speech, speech difficulty, or require specialized telephones to convey their message.
- Equipment for Vision Impairment telebraille (for the Deaf/Blind) and telephone with large buttons. Other equipment is also available.
- Equipment for Mobility Impairment for people who have difficulty dialing and/or holding a telephone.
- Equipment for Cognitive Impairment for those who need adaptive technology; picture memory telephone.
How to receive this Equipment
- Schedule an appointment to come by our offices and test the assistive devices available to those with hearing loss. We will help you complete an application and certify your need for the equipment requested. (Partial list above)
- Mail application to Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services - division of Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DARS-DHHS) with a copy of proof of Texas Residency.
- DARS-DHHS will send you a voucher for the equipment needed.
- Take the voucher to a registered vendor, on the list provided by DARS-DHHS, and exchange the voucher for the equipment.
- You are only entitled to receive one telephone through DARS-DHHS every five years.
For more information, or to schedule an appointment, call or email: stap@deafactioncentertexas.org , Deaf Action Center, 3115 Crestview Drive, Dallas, Texas 75235, phone: 214.521.0407, fax: 214.521.3658. To get driving instructions to our center, click on the following link: contact us .
Hearing Loss Resource Specialist and STAP Programs at our other locations
We offer the STAP Program at out Abilene office and at our Longview office. Our Longview office also services the counties located in Region 5. For information on our other offices with the STAP program please click on the following link: contact us .
We offer a Hearing Loss Resource Specialist at our Abilene office. For more information please click on the following link: contact us .
Helpful Links for Hard of Hearing
Hearing Loss Sampler - What Hearing Loss Sounds Like to a Hearing Person: http://facstaff.uww.edu/bradleys/radio/hlsimulation/
Texas Department of Assistive & Rehabilitative Services: http://www.dars.state.tx.us/dhhs/index.shtml
Hearing Loss Assocaition of America: http://www.hearingloss.org/
Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing: http://www.agbell.org
Hearing Loss Web: http://www.hearinglossweb.com/
Kids Health/Hearing Loss: http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/health_problems/sight/hearing_impairment.html
EMedicine/Health & Hearing Loss: http://www.emedicinehealth.com/hearing_loss/article_em.htm
American Tinnitus Association: http://www.ata.org/
Hearing Loss Help: http://www.hearinglosshelp.com
Hear-It Organization: http://www.hear-it.org
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association/Hearing & Balance: http://www.asha.org/public/hearing/
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