<< BACK TO AGENDA

ABSTRACT INFORMATION
Title: 'Unilateral Hearing Loss Program & Curriculum (0-3yrs): From Conceptualizing & Piloting, to District-Wide Implementation ' Track: Audience: Primary Audience: Secondary Audience: Tertiary Audeince: Keyword(s): unilateral HL, curriculum, early intervention, family Learning Objectives: 1) Strategize ways to support families with children with unilateral hearing loss; 2) Adapt and modify curriculum to address unique needs of families with children with unilateral hearing loss Abstract: Since the implementation of the Newborn Hearing Screening Program in California, there has been a dramatic increase in the identification & referral of children with a unilateral (aka one-sided) hearing loss. In California, unlike some other states, solely low-incidence Part C falls under the Dept. of Education (i.e. trickling down to school district), not Dept. of Health. The DHH Early Intervention branch of Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) sees up to 300 families with children 0-3 yrs with hearing loss, of which one-third are children with unilateral hearing loss. LAUSD administration has fully supported the teacher-initiated conceptualization, piloting and, later, the implementation of a district-wide Unilateral Hearing Loss (UHL) Program which sought to address the unique needs of this population. Components of this program include: location/type of services (home visits, support group/center-base), parent education curriculum (including, but not limited to: 5 areas of development, genetics/etiology of hearing loss, reading/plotting the audiogram, reconstructive ear surgery, medical & audiological management, grieving, cultural issues, parent rights & responsibilities, transition and Part B of IDEA, etc), inter-agency collaboration, and more. It’s hoped that this presentation on LAUSD’s step-by-step development of the UHL Program will aid other agencies in finding creative solutions to address families with children identified with a unilateral hearing loss. Handouts: Handout is not Available
SPEAKER INFORMATION
PRESENTER(S): Natasha Wen - Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD)      Credentials: 1)Prof. Clear Multiple Subj. Credential; 2)Prof. Clear DHH Education Specialist Credential; 3)Prelim. Administrative Credential      Other Affiliations: Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD); A.G. Bell       Born in Taiwan, raised in Brazil & England, Natasha has been living in the US for the past 20 years. Her professional career has been dedicated to families and children with hearing loss, particularly the Hispanic population of greater Los Angeles. Natasha recently attended & presented at the III Congreso Iberoamericano de Educación y Sordera (III Latin American Conference on Education and Deafness) in Argentina. She is the founder of the Early Start Unilateral Hearing Loss Program at Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). Natasha has also had an extensive musical training. She plays various instruments and sang in operatic productions of "Carmina Burana", "Orpheus in the Underworld" and "La Belle Helene." She holds a Orff-Schulwerk Certification for Music Specialists, teaching choir and Orff on weekends, while working full-time for LAUSD as a DHH Early Interventionist.   AUTHOR(S): Natasha Wen - Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD)      Credentials: 1)Prof. Clear Multiple Subj. Credential; 2)Prof. Clear DHH Education Specialist Credential; 3)Prelim. Administrative Credential      Other Affiliations: Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD); A.G. Bell       BIO: Born in Taiwan, raised in Brazil & England, Natasha has been living in the US for the past 20 years. Her professional career has been dedicated to families and children with hearing loss, particularly the Hispanic population of greater Los Angeles. Natasha recently attended & presented at the III Congreso Iberoamericano de Educación y Sordera (III Latin American Conference on Education and Deafness) in Argentina. She is the founder of the Early Start Unilateral Hearing Loss Program at Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). Natasha has also had an extensive musical training. She plays various instruments and sang in operatic productions of "Carmina Burana", "Orpheus in the Underworld" and "La Belle Helene." She holds a Orff-Schulwerk Certification for Music Specialists, teaching choir and Orff on weekends, while working full-time for LAUSD as a DHH Early Interventionist.