Deaf Advocates Sues U of M Over Stadium Design

National Association of the Deaf sues University of Maryland for failing to provide closed captioning at sports games.

WASHINGTON, DC -- Aberdeen Patch: A lawsuit filed in September by the National Association of the Deaf against the University of Maryland for its lack of amenities for Deaf fans at sporting events is just one of many such efforts to ensure hearing-impaired sports enthusiasts can enjoy themselves at stadiums.

Association CEO Howard A. Rosenblum said his organization has successfully sued other athletic organizations over the same issue, including the Washington Redskins, Ohio State University and the University of Kentucky.

The association successfully sued the Washington Redskins in 2011. According to lawsuit documents, the Redskins were required to “provide Deaf and Hard of Hearing fans equal access to the aural information broadcast over the stadium bowl public address system at FedEx Field.”

The University of Maryland lawsuit details complaints brought to the association by Sean Markel and Joseph Innes, two Deaf sports patrons who regularly attend Terrapin sporting events at Comcast Center and Byrd Stadium. Markel and Innes filed another complaint against the university on Oct. 16.

“This is an action to enforce the rights of individuals who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing and to ensure full and equal access to the defendant University of Maryland, College Park’s football and basketball games and other programs, services and activities taking place at defendants’ venues and on the University of Maryland athletic department website,” reads the official complaint filed by the association on behalf of Markel and Innes.

Maryland Assistant Vice President of Marketing and Communications Brian Ullman released a statement in response to the first complaint saying the university is committed to making sure Terrapin fans with disabilities can enjoy the school’s sporting events. He said the team already offers closed captioning through a special website that can be displayed on smart phones and tablets...

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Arizona Deaf School Protest, Demand Action

Arizona probes accusation of conflicts at Arizona Schools for the Deaf & Blind, Superintendent, board president focus of protests, complaints.

TUCSON, AZ -- Two state agencies are investigating the superintendent and board president of the Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind for potential conflicts of interest and excessive travel expenses.

Superintendent Robert Hill and ASDB Board President Bernhardt Jones also have been the focus of multiple protests at school's two main campuses in Tucson and Phoenix over the last two weeks. Students, parents and former employees have called for the two to resign because of a lack of leadership and poor communication with the staff. Among the concerns:

• Possible conflicts of interest: Hill and Jones have a private business relationship outside their ASDB positions. Jones is the director of TASK12, which administers the Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment for a $310 testing fee. Hill is listed as a TASK12 local test administrator at classroominterpreting.org. Neither Hill nor Jones disclosed their roles with TASK12 to ASDB, its board of directors or the state... Read The Full Story.

Read Letter: PDF: Letter from Robert Hill to ASDB staff

Pigs, goats snatched from classrooms: Deaf students protest, demand action:

Outrage swirling at the Arizona School for the Deaf and Blind. One administrator on leave. Another fired. And now students say even their animals are gone.

Arizona Schools for the Deaf & Blind Board of Directors: Acknowledge the vote of "No Confidence" in Superintendent Robert Hill:

Five years ago, parents, staff, and community members gathered to ensure that Arizona School for the Deaf and Blind's campuses were truly accessible to American Sign Language (ASL) for the students and staff as well as fostering positive changes in the curriculum in order to advance deaf education.

Today, we find that our students' education is now at risk because of haphazard administrative decisions and questionable conduct by Superintendent Robert Hill, including several allegations of discriminatory conduct in regards to staff (female/sexual) and disability (Deaf).

Nearly 50 ASDB staff members have already personally signed the following statement:

We, the members of the ASDB community including staff, parents, alumni, and friends, sign this petition as a Vote of No Confidence in Robert Hill's continued service as Superintendent of ASDB.

Robert Hill has demonstrated a continued failure to exhibit the professional integrity and leadership that is expected and required of the Superintendent of ASDB. Such failures include a fundamental refusal or inability... Petition Here.

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Deaf Woman Sues New Hampshire Hospital

New Hampshire Hospital has agreed to a settlement over allegations that it failed to provide appropriate aid and services under the ADA.

PETERBOROUGH, New Hampshire -- The U.S. Department of Justice announced today that Monadnock Community Hospital has agreed to a $5,000 settlement with a Deaf woman who received medical care at the hospital in 2010, according to a statement from justice department officials.

The woman, Amy Dauphinais, communicates primarily through sign language, and alleges hospital officials failed to provide her with auxiliary aids during her stay there, which resulted in her being unable to communicate with hospital personnel, and instead relied on her minor daughter to interpret for her, according to the statement.

Although the hospital agreed to pay Dauphinais $5,000, it did so without admitting liability in the incident, justice department officials said.

In a statement, hospital officials said there was "a strong difference of opinion on the facts of the patient visit that was the basis of the claim," and that "there was never any question of any adverse effect on the quality of care provided to any patient and MCH cooperated throughout the case... Read The Full Story.