2023 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 5-7, 2023 • Cincinnati, OH
3/06/2023 | 2:30 PM - 3:00 PM | Exploration of Language and Communication Opportunities Process | DECC 233
Exploration of Language and Communication Opportunities Process
Maine has a unique process supporting families of young deaf and hard of hearing children through the journey of exploring language and communication opportunities. Empowering families, this process encourages early interaction, discussion, questioning, and informed decision-making with a family-centered early intervention focus that pivots when needed throughout the family experience.
Come learn about our collaborative statewide system that integrates the critical importance of early interactions and foundations of language followed by a process of exploration of language and communication opportunities (ELCO). The ELCO process encourages families to recognize the importance of early attachment while moving through the process of initial decision-making with the support and guidance of other parents of children who are deaf or hard of hearing, Deaf and hard of hearing adults, early intervention specialists, audiologists, and pediatricians.
- Participants will identify three components of a process of exploring language and communication opportunities.
- Participants will identify three ways to empower families in the process of exploring language and communication opportunities
- Participants will identify ways to incorporate parents and deaf and hard of hearing adults in the process of exploring language and communication opportunities.
Presentation:
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Handouts:
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Transcripts:
CART transcripts are NOT YET available, but will be posted shortly after the conference
Presenters/Authors
Karen Hopkins
(), The Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing/Governor Baxter School for the Deaf, karen.hopkins@mecdhh.org;
Karen Hopkins is the Executive Director of The Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing/Governor Baxter School for the Deaf and the principal investigator of Maine's HRSA grant. She brings over 30 years of experience as a collaborative teacher of the deaf, special educator, early interventionist and educational administrator to her work with Deaf and hard of hearing children. Her work with families, coupled with her own personal experience as a Deaf adult and parent of a daughter who is hard of hearing have inspired her to create systems that empower families. Karen oversees early intervention and statewide educational programming for children who are Deaf or hard of hearing birth to age 22 throughout the state of Maine. She is active in many organizations and boards in Maine, the Hands & Voices HQ Board of Directors and is involved with international FCEI programming including the Deaf Leadership International Alliance. Karen's current research is focused on perspectives of family empowerment in early intervention systems for Deaf and hard of hearing children.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
• Receives Salary,Grants for Management position from HRSA Maine Educational Center for the Deaf.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.
Amy Spencer
(), Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, amy.spencer@mecdhh.org;
Amy is the early intervention and family services coordinator at MECDHH/GBSD. She serves on the the Maine Newborn Hearing Screening Advisory Board, the Maine Interagency Coordinating Council and is an active member of the Earliest Interactions Maine/HRSA grant team. As part of her Infant Toddler Family Leadership and Collaboration Certificate Program from Gallaudet, Amy began her work on the Exploring Language and Communication Opportunities process. Amy lives in southern Maine exploring both the ocean and mountains regularly with her husband and two young daughters.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
Claire Jeffers
(), MECDHH/GBSD, jeffers.claire@gmail.com;
Claire is public relations consultant, a writer and the mother of a Deaf son.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -