Page 8 University Daily Kansan, October 7, 1980
'C-phone'helps deaf students communicate
By KATHY BRUSSELL Staff Reporter
The white square jumped rhythmically across the screen of the teletypewriter, a neat line of type appearing behind it.
"Hello, this is the Information Center. May we help you?"
The operator punched the "Go Ahead" button and leaned back from the keyboard.
"Then the person on the other end would type his message back to us, and we would either give him the information he needs or make an appointment for him to see someone," the operator said.
Pat Kelche, coordinator of the KU Information Center, was demonstrating the center" "Ciphone," a computerized communicate by telexppe with dead students.
The C-phone was installed last summer as part of the University's program to offer equal educational opportunities to students with hearing impairments.
It allows two people with teletypewriter receivers to pass written messages over regular telephone lines.
Two students from the Kansas School for the Deaf in Olathe enrolled in KU courses last summer, according to Lorna Zimmer, director of the Student
Assistance Center, which coordinates the Cephee system and a program for data acquisition.
Three deaf students, plus several others with a variety of hearing impairments, are enrolled this semester. They are able to make the mostsible for making their educational experience comparable to that of hearing students, Zimmer said.
"We certainly don't want our students to be isolated from either emergency or routine communication systems," Zimmer said. "The C-phone system has the ability with access to University information and with contact to other offices."
The $500 C-phone was purchased by the Assistance Center but was installed in the Information Center because it is open 24 hours a day, Zimmar said.
When a call comes in on the C-phone, the Information Center employees can answer the caller's question, set up an appointment for the caller to meet with someone from the Assistance Center or from another KU office, or arrange for a conference call. When the Center at a specified time and talk to the caller over the C-phone, she said.
The C-phone has been used only two or three times this semester, and the Information Center is eager to see it serve more students, Kehde said.
"There seem to be about 10 people in Lawrence who have teletypewriters,"
she said. "They pretty much communicate between themselves, and we haven't had many calls. But I think we'll get more as more students learn about our programs and want to inquire about coming to KU."
The Lawrence Police Department also has a C-phone, and the Lawrence Independent Living Resource Center. Independent Living plans to have one installed by January.
Last summer, the Assistance Center also began a program of hiring interpreters for deaf students, Zimmer said.
The center selects interpreters through Affirmative Action hiring policies and contactsulty members in their classrooms, she said.
Billie Collier, a business teacher at the Kansas School for the Deaf, did some interpreting at the University of Kansas Medical Center during the center and now interacts part time at the Regents Center in Overland Park.
"I've seen a great need for interpreters, particularly among the deaf teachers at my school who needed to take courses for their recertification or to finish a master's degree." Collier wrote in her book "A Course for several graduate-level classes and to go with a deaf person to a doctor's or lawyer's office."
has not been given in the Kansas City area for four or five years, she said.
"I've developed my skill through experience and by taking workshops or classes in either American sign language or in India." "The certification process took some time to develop into a permanent, ongoing thing. Many interpreters are not certified but are qualified because of experience and past performance."
Collier said that Johnson County Community College was planning to offer the certification class this fall, and he would go through the program.
Collier interprets one day a week for a lecture class at the Regents Center. The class response toward her and her has been very encouraging, she said.
"The reaction of the teacher and the other students has been one of the very positive results of a deaf person being in the class," she said. "The instructor is most cooperative and handles the situation so it's very natural."
"He makes no special accommodations for us other than being aware that she is deaf and that some changes may have to be made, for example, if she should have to make a presentation to the class. I would speak what she was signing, and that would take more time."
Education Students
In addition to interpreting for lecture classes, Collier will accompany her student to conferences with the teacher or events where she needs an interpreter.
Pi-Lambda-Theta is accepting applications for membership. Requires a 3.2 GPA. Applications in Dean of Education's Office
Hearing-impaired students make up a small part of KU's student population, but having the ability to respond to their needs is important, Zimmer said.
BLACK STUDENT UNION
Zimmer said the University also was exploring the use of a "phonic ear" system, in which a speaker uses a special microphone and a student wears an earpiece equipped with a noise cane that they hear as sound. The system is helpful for people with some types of hearing impairments.
GENERAL MEETING
Date: Wednesday Oct. 8, 1980 Time: 7:00 p.m. Place: Templin Hall
★Careers Day
★Upcoming Programs
★Big 8 Council Meeting & Conference
Agenda
Dulos said that Jason enjoyed going to the KU Natural History Museum, and that sometimes he and Jason just talked on the telephone in between classes. Sisters set aside time on the weekends to spend with the children.
Sondra Bogard, Route 1, Jason's mother, said that she was very pleased with the program and that her son, who had helped help her son immensely.
Funded by Student Activity Fees
By STEVE BASKA Staff Reporter
Each week, about 80 KU students leave behind the busy life of classes, sports and parties to spend a few weeks in children who need an older friend.
Big Brothers, Sisters befriend needy kids
RON DULOS, Hutchinson senior,
has been in the program for two
years. This year he is coordinator of
the school's music program-year-old
Little Brother, Jason Bogaard
The students are in the Big Brother-Big Sister program. They are volunteers who provide attention and direction to children who have various needs. Most of the children are between 6 and 12 years old and come from divorced or very large families. Some come from lower-income families with mild emotional problems. Their common need is companionship.
"The Big Brothers and Big Sisters try to provide a good example and a mature atmosphere for the kids," Dulos said. "There's not a lot of money in the job, but I'm glad students realize there a need for it."
ABOUT 20 BOYS and girls are awaiting Big Brothers and Big Sisters. Students who want to volunteer should fill out an application in the KU-Y office in the Kansas Union or call Ron Dulos at 749-2213. New volunteers must attend a workshop conducted by the program's staff. They then are assigned to a child.
Jason said that having a Big Brother was "really fun."
Children are referred to the program by elementary school counselors. The six-member Big Brother-Big Sister staff then arranges the assignments and progress of each student in progress. The KU program is not connected with similar Topeka or Kansas City area organizations.
Maryls Headley, Salina senior, is starting a second year with her Little Sister, Juanita Nunez. 9.
Although the Big Brother-Big
Bister program holds a monthly
party, Jink Hinkle, Prairie Village
juniper, said he liked the program
because each volunteer could choose
the activities he wanted to do. His
Little Brother is Charles Simpson,
13.
"We can do whatever we want," Hinkle said. "We go to the movies, and often Charles calls up to ask what I'm doing."
"We have a great relationship and I love it," she said. "Sometimes I bring her over for dinner. We also go to the studio for photography or just walk in the park."
"We go out to dinner a lot and we even went to the Willie Nelson concert," he said.
It's COORS' LITE $ \star $ WEIGHT Night at the HARBOUR LITES
Of the 80 children assigned to a Big Brother or Big Sister, about 55 are girls and 25 are boys, Dulos said. All but about five of the volunteers are graduate students, but non-students are encouraged to volunteer, also.
Tuesday, October 7
40° 6-8 p.m.
50 $ ^{c} $ 8-10 p.m.
60° 10-12 p.m.
Count your pennies while you're counting calories!
Paid for by Eldredge for Senate Committee, Kurt Watson, Treasurer
Paid PoL. Adv.
Swim in the Intramural Team Swim Meet
Get Into The Swim Of Things!
today, Oct. 7 at 7:00 p.m.
For additional info, stop in 208 Robinson Center.
Entry deadline is at 6:45 p.m. at Robinson Pool.
Recreation Services 864-3546
--offer not good Wednesdays 5-11 P.M.
9th & Indiana 1720 West 23rd
Buy Two Tacos
Get One Taco Free
with this coupon
Good Until Oct. 10, 1980
'The Proof is in the Taco'
--by Michael Dorn Moody
staged by Joseph Nunnally
October 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 1980
8:00 p.m.
University Theatre
Murphy Hall
The University of Kansas Theatre Proudly Presents George Dzundza and John Herzog in The World Premiere of The Fool
Tickets on sale at the Murphy Hall Box Office All seats reserved. Call 913-664-3982 for reservations
Two Ways To Look Better Than You Did When You Came.
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Command Performance The Hair Cutting Place