Neptune Tech Specs!

So, you can peek at this here, or hit that first button on the preview and see it full screen.

Important points that I noticed:

First, and very important...WE HAVE MEASUREMENTS!!! The processor is 1.04x0.74x2.5 inches....that is bigger than we had imagined.

It says there is a rechargable battery, that's good.

It sayd there are three program slots PLUS one for mic testing! WOO HOO! We had been giving up one slot for test the mics since Miss Kat was activated, so this will be nice.

It appears that the controls are removable. I think you are supposed set it, then remove that piece for wearing.

I read that there is a shirt clip, armband and lanyard as wearing options.

Also, it appears that there are two headpiece choices, one "universal headpiece" and one waterproof "aqua-mic" for swimming.

And most important, there are two pink options! (Along with nearly a dozen others.)

Neptune Tech Specs 20110420[1]

The problem at ISD (and USD and all bi-bi schools)

Here's the thing...if you want students, you have to attract hearing parents. If parents don't want their kids at your school, your school will close.

So, how do we balance ASL bi-bi philosophy with the need for fluent spoken language services? By default a bi-bi school is voice off. It HAS to be. So, how do we give the kids the intensive, immersive spoken language services that they need to develop open set, fluent listening and spoken language? How do we immerse a child is two totally different languages, languages that by definition can not be used together? How do we value spoken English and ASL equally? How do we give them equal time? How do we ensure that our kids are fluent and age appropriate in both?

I hear a lot of people talking about how people are trying to turn ISD into an oral school....I doubt it. But, if it is true that they don't allow spoken language in the classroom (which, in my experience is very likely), they are NOT meeting the needs of a HUGE segment of the deaf children.

I hear a lot of accusations, but absolutely no solutions...

FOUND!!! AB Neptune brochure!

Okay, here's what I know. The entire processor is only slightly longer than a AAA battery or approximately the size of an iPod shuffle. It is a completely new style of implant. It is not a behind the ear processor. You can wear it anywhere; you can pin it to your shoulder or even pin it to a hair barrett. There is no information on a rechargeable option. It will be submitted to the FDA within a month or so. That's about all I have. They're trying to keep it mostly under wraps. Brochure follows:

Overheard! (Huge AB news!)

First let me tell a cute story and then we will get to what I hope is HUGE news!!!

I was talking to Miss Kat in the car on the way home from school last week. She was watching a DVD and was struggling to understand me from the backseat. She said "Hold on, I can't hear you because of the movie." She then proceeded to turn the volume all the way down and then said "Go ahead." What a smartie! She knew she was struggling, knew why, and then remedied it. (As soon as I was done, she turned the volume right back up.)

Ok, the reason for the post!!!! Check out this post on Hearing Journey! WATERPROOF PROCESSOR!!!! No information is really available at this time, but AB has trademarked a processor by that name and they have just relaunched their internal device along with a new website....maybe the cat is out of the bag and they will talk! I am so excited! Miss Kat and I went swimming yesterday and I was thinking about how annoying it was to have her not be able to hear me and I started thinking about looking into the ways to wear a CI while swimming, but maybe we can wait!

WOO HOO!

ALL GOALS MET!!!!

Today was our year end conference with Miss Kat's teacher and principal. We met to discuss the IEP that we just wrote up. Miss Kat has made tremendous progress in the 4 months that we have been here. In fact, she has made so much progress that....we have to write a new IEP!! She met the goals!!!!

I could not be more pleased! She is catching up! This school expects her to excel, and then they actually provide the services that will help her do just that. Imagine that!

We are re-doing her comprehensive language testing first thing when school starts up again and we hope to see objective improvements in those scores as well. We also had the opportunity to look at her standardized testing scores and we are able to match her with a group and a curriculum for next year with those.

Everyone is tickled pink (including Miss Kat, who adores school and her teacher and her SLP). This was clearly the right decision. It is the first time we have had an appropriate IEP, tied with great services, and look at how high Miss Kat can fly!

My comment on the Salt Lake Trib article

Article in question

I am so sick and tired of all this stupid fight. I have a daughter who has ASL as her first laguage but now uses listening and spoken language. She hears through a CI.


JMS has great teachers and a lot a community support. They also have an uphill battle. It is very difficult for a person to learn to read and write a language that is completely foreign to them, as English is to an ASL user. It is a totally different language, that is why there is a struggle. Phonics is impossible for someone who doesn't hear, therefore reading must be learned through memorization, which is another hugely daunting task.

And, in my personal opinion, ASL DID affect the acqusition of English for my daughter. ASL is not English, and she "spoke in ASL". She struggles with grammar and the word order of English. Also, having a delay in learning phonics has affected her reading skills.

But, I completely disagree that USD has a great LSL program! Perhaps in PIP and preschool, but our experience in Elementary school lead to moving 2000 miles away to get a real program!

The truth is that there are very successful adults in BOTH camps. The key is involved parents. It is flatly untrue that all these oral kids are going to grow up and join the Deaf community. The truth is that less than 1% of people with hearing loss sign!

CIs have truly changed the face of deafness. Our kids hearing within the normal range and are able to understand ALL sounds in spoken language without lipreading, this was NEVER possible in the past. Don't believe us? Ask the kids implanted as toddlers in the 80's, they are all grown up now!

So, in conclusion, STOP THE WAR!