New Sign Language Dictionary
Rochester Institute of Technology’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf has developed the ASL Video Dictionary and Inflection Guide. It is the first and only product that links thousands of signs to sentences illustrating how the signs change, or inflect, from sentence to sentence to show different meanings. The 2,700 signs and 650 sentences, all in color and signed by Deaf native signers, show not only vocabulary, but a broad view of the entire language. A one-year subscription is $39.99 and may be purchased by visiting www.rit.edu/ntid/dig or by calling 585.475.6282 V/TTY.
Mexican Study: 35 Percent Had Severe Hearing Loss
A study conducted in 2007 in Mexico found that excessive noise and improper use of antibiotics are among the main causes of an increase in the number of hearing problems among Mexicans. The study screened 135 subjects between 15 and 49 years old for hearing disorders and 35 percent of them presented severe hearing damage. The group aged between 15 and 29 years was more severely affected by hearing damage; unrestrained use of personal stereos is believed to be the main reason. The study concluded that access to antibiotics without a prescription – common in Mexico – has contributed to the deterioration in hearing among the population. For more information about the study, e-mail head researcher Graciela Meza at gmeza@ifc.unam.mx.
China Does It Their Way
According to Chinese news source Sina Corp. (www.sina.com), Shanghai Health Bureau has adopted a new method of detecting hearing loss in infants, developed by researchers from Fudan University in Shanghai. The source reports that traditional hearing tests had failed to adequately detect congenital hearing problems in the estimated 30,000 infants born with a congenital hearing defect each year. Also, researchers at Fudan’s affiliated hospital have developed a cochlear implant with production costs half that of foreign-made implants. For the full article: http://english.sina.com/ technology/1/2008/0114/ 141534.html.
Noise Control in the British Workplace
In April 2008, a new law to protect workers in the music and entertainment industries took effect in Great Britain. Called Control of Noise at Work, the law is designed to regulate noise levels in the music and entertainment workplace and prevent workers from suffering noise-induced hearing loss. According to a study conducted by RNID, as many as 68 percent of employers in the industry are unaware that they must comply with the Control of Noise at Work regulations, and 55 percent of employers have made no plans for provisions to create acceptable noise levels in their workplaces. For more on RNID’s study and the new law, visit www.rnid.org.uk and search “Control of Noise at Work Regulations.”
