Letters to the Editor

Comments, Questions, and Answers Alan B. Crammatte Editor, Comments The Comment, Question, and Answer department is published as a service to professional readers and parents of deaf children. It is an attempt to provide practical information on the basic aspects of deafness, particularly in relation to education. Although all questions submitted cannot be used, those considered to be of greatest interest to readers will be published. Answers are prepared by competent authorities. Material submitted must contain the writer's name and address. Address questions and comments to: Alan B. Crammatte, 897 Windsong Dr., Arnold, Md. 21012 COMMENT—A new book. Sign Language and the Deaf Community, Essays in Honor of William C. Stokoe, edited by Charlotte Baker and Robin Battison , should be read by everyone in the field of deafness. The announcement of this book occurred at the NAD's centennial luncheon in Cincinnati July 2. It went on sale there for $8 soft cover and $12 hard cover. It is published by the NAD and "the authors and editors have agreed that all of the proceeds from this book will go to a special fund to continue the work that Bill started almost 25 years ago: The William C. Stokoe Scholarship Fund will support students who have a major interest in research on Sign Language. That's just our way of saying , 'Thanks Bill' " (ix, introduction). Seventeen people contributed essays to this book!! It is already a classic in the field of deafness and no one will want to admit they haven't read it! Virginia P, Hemes Saco, ME for the deaf multihandicapped person? What kinds of vocational training are available to these teenagers and adults? L. Gordon Institute of Logopedics 2400 Jardine Dr. Wichita, KS 67219 RESPONSE—The American Annals of the Deaf directory number for April 1980 lists in its directory of schools and classes those schools or classes which have programs for multihandicapped deaf children. Training for adults, both vocational and otherwise, is a special concern of rehabilitation personnel. The professional body of these workers is the American Deafness and Rehabilitation Association. The editor of their journal, journal of Rehabilitation of the Deaf, is Glenn T. Lloyd, Ed. D., Rte. 5 Box 535A, Morgantown, N. C. 28655. He can no doubt direct you to such workshops as you ask about. Services for the deaf-blind are listed in the April Annals on pages 213-216. QUESTION—I have two questions which I hope you will comment on. First, is there an organization or committee which deals directly with the education of multihandicapped deaf children and adults? If not, could you please inform your readers that I would be very interested in hearing from those individuals who work with this population. My second question deals with vocational training. Could you please tell me of any sheltered workshop, home, or vocational program Letters to the Editor To the Editor: In a recent article, Vernon et al. (Annals, June 1980) have compiled a good list of publications related to the field of deafness. Such an article is undoubtedly going to be an excellent reference. A.A.O. I December 1980 1035 Letters to the Editor I wish to mention one publication, Sign Language Studies, which has been in existence since 1972. Even though I find it difficult to categorize, Sign Language Studies more often than not contains articles very relevant to the field of deafness. A journal of this type should be of real value to anyone who desires a better understanding of sign language and its ramifications through the multitude of articles covering language development, history of sign language, psycholinguistics of sign language, sociolinguistics of sign language, and many other areas relevant to education of the deaf. Lawrence R. Fleischer Calif. State Li., Northridge To the Editor: This is just a note to thank you and Doin Hicks for writing the very substantive article {Annals, August 1980, pp. 529-534) on the effects of prenatal rubella on deaf adolescents and on the relationship of certain viral diseases to hearing loss. I learned much from the article and I hope that it will have an even larger distribution than its appearance in the American Annals. I hope that...