Leonie (Johnson) Gauthreaux

Published on September 24, 2009
Leonie Gauthreaux

CHURCH POINT - Funeral Services will be held at11 a.m. Friday, September 25, 2009, at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Church Point, for Leonie Gauthreaux, 91, the former Leonie Johnson. Mrs. Gauthreaux, a native and life-long resident of Church Point, died at 10 p.m. Tuesday, September 22, 2009, at Magnolia Estates in Lafayette. Monsignor Jefferson J. DeBlanc will conduct the services with interment following in the Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Cemetery in Church Point.

Survivors include a son, Larry "Goat" Gauthreaux and wife, Merrilene, of Lafayette; a daughter, Judy Gauthreaux, of Sulphur; a brother, Clifford Johnson, Jr. and wife, Erlene, of Carencro; four grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Norman P. Gauthreaux; a daughter, Theresa Gauthreaux; and her parents, Clifford Johnson, Sr. and Leta Latiolais Johnson.

The family requested that visiting hours be observed from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. Thursday and continue from 8 a.m. Friday until the time of the services.

A recognized member of the Catholic Deaf Society for over thirty years, Mrs. Gauthreaux was also well-known and respected in her community.

A recitation of the Rosary will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday by Mrs. Erlene Johnson.

Arrangements are being handled by Guidry Funeral Home, Inc.; 219 N. Broadway; Church Point, La. (337) 684-5488.

View the obituary and guest book on-line at guidryfuneralhome.com.

Job Opportunity with CORA - ALERT

Before considering joining CORA, you may want to check out complaints against CORA at the following website:

http://www.complaintsboard.com/bycompany/cora-llc-a159269.html

(Thanks to an anonymous reader who send this information)

Job Opportunity with CORA

CREATING OPPORTUNITIES BY RECOGNIZING ABILITIES



CORA IS SEEKING HEARING DISABLED INDIVIDUALS
FOR VIDEO PHONE PILOT PROJECT

CORA is offering a monthly scholarship program to provide training and placement of deaf individuals
to perform remote business-to-business collections work using an interpreter and video phone.

The training fee will be paid by scholarship funds from United States Business Leadership Network for this pilot project..



The training classes are 3 hours per day, 5 days per week from 10 am to 1 pm EST for a total of 90 hours.

At the conclusion of 90 hours training, the candidate/trainee must pass a test to become a CORA employee
and will then be assigned to work performing collections processes for one of our clients..

The training is exactly what it implies...Training...Selected applicants will not be paid to be trained.
They must pass the Final Assessment to become a paid employee.

Enrollment Director
Theresa Bronson

Email resumes to: VPPilot@coraworks.com
www.coraworks.com

NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF BLACK INTERPRETERS, INC.

NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF BLACK INTERPRETERS, INC.

2010 Biennial Professional Development Conference

“Running with the Vision: Empower. Educate. Excel”

June 24-27, 2010

Sheraton Crescent Hotel ♦ 2620 Dunlap Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85021

CALL FOR PRESENTERS

The NAOBI, Inc. 2010 Conference Committee is currently seeking creative presenters for our 2010 Biennial Professional

Development Conference. Ideal workshop proposals should include cutting edge presentations on:

Educational Interpreting Multi-cultural Interpreting Technology

Video Relay Interpreting Theatrical Interpreting Global Trends

Freelance Interpreting Distance Education Business/Finance

Religious Interpreting RID (CPC, testing, etc.) Cultural Awareness

Legal Interpreting Conference Planning Diversity

Skill Development

All workshop presentations will be three (3) hours or six (6) hours in duration and should focus on subject matter relevant

to the theme: “Running with the Vision: Empower. Educate. Excel!”

All workshop Presenters will receive the following compensation:

 Payment of $225 per 3-hour workshop, $450 per 6-hour workshop

 Complimentary Workshops Only Conference Registration: workshops, plenary sessions and forums

 One (1) night lodging (day of your presentation) and up to $300.00 travel expenses reimbursed

Proposal Submission Process

ALL of the following items must be submitted as a package to the Conference Professional DevelopmentChair by Thursday, December 31, 2009, in order for the presentation to be considered. Incomplete proposal package submissions will NOT be considered. All items (with the exception of the photo headshot) should be submitted in PDF format. (For free PDF conversion, visit https://www.pdfonline.com/convert_pdf.asp)

1. Workshop proposal (1-2 pages), indicating target audience: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced or General

2. Outline for proposed workshop (1 page)

3. Summary/Abstract of workshop that can be utilized as a description in the program book (250 words max.)

4. Presenter’s biography (to be utilized in the program book, 250 words max.)

5. RID Continuing Education Activity Instructor’s Form

(go to www.naobi.org and download RID’s Instructor form from the conference tab under Call For Presenters)

6. Current resume

7. Black and White headshot in Jpeg format.

Proposal Submission Options

E-Mail Submission: (preferred) Snail Mail:

Send to: Professional Development Chair (Noah Butler) at The National Alliance of Black Interpreters, Inc.

professional-development-chair@naobi.org

Attn: Mr. Noah Butler, PD Chair

POB 77372

Washington, DC 20013-7372

Complete Proposals will be reviewed by the Program Committee and final selections will be made by January 31, 2010.

For more information about THE 2010 Biennial Professional Development Conference please visit:

www.naobi.org/2010

or e-mail the 2010 Conference Chair, Dr. Rodney Smith at: Conference-Chair@naobi.org or call (877) 626-2487 Ext. 6

Deja vu Poker Club in Lafayette, LA

ALERT: POKER START AT 12 PM instead 2 PM due to LSU GAME....



Déjà vu Poker Club

presents


No-Limit Texas Hold ‘Em Poker Night


~ Saturday, September 19 , 2009 ~


SITE


LAAD Cajun Clubhouse

200 Rue de Belier

Lafayette, LA

(Direction can be found at mapquest.com)

------------------------------------------------

Door opens at 10 am

---------------------------------------------

Poker Players: Sign-up & information of rules will be provided at 1:00 p.m.

First Come First Served (CAPACITY: 48 players LIMIT)

------------------------------------------------------------------------



GAME

1st session at 12:00 p.m.


NO Minors! ONLY Age of 21 & UP is allowed to play.

BUY IN: $ 50.00 ($ 40,000 in poker chips)

Unlimited Rebuys

RE BUY: $10.00

NEW Addition: ‘Best My Hand’ Jackpot (Optional): $5.00 to compete for the ‘Best My Hand’ of the day to win jackpot.

Prizes will be the ratio: 1 to 4 (¼) - 100% RETURNED



NON-Poker Players:


FLASH! We have a new addition game – Lingo (known as ‘Dingo’) for non-poker players…Sign-up & information of rules will be provided at 1:00 p.m.


For more details, contact Raymond Massie, Poker Director at LSUMAS86@aim.com or LAAD’s Public Relations at CajunLAAD@cox.net


LAADly Yours,
Fallon Frederick
Public Relations for LAAD e-News

SLU Explore Approach to Improve Deaf Education

Southeastern researchers explore approach to improve deaf education
Contact: Rene Abadie
9/1/09

(1) Susannah Ford, right, teacher at the Louisiana School of the deaf, works with her young students using the LAMBERT system developed by Southeastern education researchers.


(2) Becky Sue Parton and Robert Jason Hancock, researchers at Southeastern Louisiana University, code objects into the computer that will be used to help build the deaf education learning tolls that they will be evaluating. The project, funded by the U.S. Department of Education, engages children in the learning process and serves as a facilitator for teaching American Sign Language.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HAMMOND -- In a unique approach to deaf education, two members of Southeastern’s education faculty are using technology common in logistics and supply chain management to improve instruction in sign language for young deaf children.
With a $390,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education, assistant professors Robert Hancock and Becky Sue Parton are looking to build on their earlier research that combines radio frequency identification (RFID) technology with common objects in a goal to help deaf children learn American Sign Language (ASL) more efficiently.
The two-year grant was one of six “Steppingstones of Technology” grants awarded by the Education Department nationwide.
Using “physical world hyperlinking,” a term used to describe the process of connecting digital data on a computer and real-world objects, the researchers are constructing an initial set of 500 objects with RFID tags. When waved in front of an RFID reader, the tags – which are really small antennae – trigger a computer to respond with instructional content, such as a video of a human interpreter signing the word and several photos or other images of the object.
“Most parents of deaf children don’t know sign language and unfortunately never learn to be fluent in it,” said Parton, a specialist in deaf education. “That’s why these children tend to fall five or six years behind in language acquisition. We’re hoping this system will enable the children to pick up ASL vocabulary directly, as a supplement to peer and teacher interactions, just like kids use LeapFrog products and similar educational games. We can use this in a classroom environment and also send it home with the children.”
Traditionally deaf children learn sign language by coupling objects in a classroom environment with simple drawings to depict the corresponding signs. This also usually involves intensive teacher guidance, Parton explained.
“We recognized that technology could provide a valuable and viable component of deaf education,” she added.
In an earlier pilot project, Parton and Hancock developed LAMBERT (Language Acquistion Manipulatives Blending Early-childhood Research and Technology), a small-budget effort that involved the development of a set of 25 frequently used words for children in the three to four-year-old range. Working with pre-schoolers at the Louisiana School for the Deaf in Baton Rouge, they used simple concrete nouns as the basis for 15 to 20-second multimedia presentations.
“A pre-schooler picks up an object, like a plastic apple, and waves it in front of the RFID reader,” explained Hancock. “This triggers the presentation on a computer screen that includes a video of a human interpreter signing the word with an image of the object superimposed.”
What follows in the next several seconds are three to five photos or clipart images of variations of the object, such as a red and green apple or a male and female lion, a video of an animated character signing the word beside the object, the written English translation for print recognition, and an audio pronunciation for hard-of-hearing children.
“First and foremost, it is very user friendly, both for teachers and students of all functional abilities,” said Susannah Ford, a teacher at the Louisiana School for the Deaf who has used the pilot version for the past six months. “A simple touch of a card activates the program, and this grabs the students’ attention. The video and graphics are varied, colorful and animated, and the children love that.”
“In our pilot study, the kids rotated to various stations to play with the toys,” Parton explained. “We were amazed at how quickly they picked up the process due to their age. Their teacher showed them in a group how to use the toys, and the kids picked it up immediately. You could see their noticeable excitement as they used the various objects, and often they would sign along with the video because they were familiar with most of the vocabulary.
“Children learn by exploring their surroundings, usually through play,” she added. “In this project, it’s obvious the children were engaged in the learning process and interacted with the objects in a natural way. The technology became a facilitator, not a distracter.”
“It’s a hands-on approach, which is truly the best way for deaf students to learn and acquire language,” Ford added.
The new version will allow the output to be projected onto a Smart Board rather than on individual monitors to foster a more collaborative, group-oriented teaching environment. Parton and Hancock are also in the process of installing the system on smaller, more portable laptops, which would be available for students to take home.
“The mobile kits would allow students and parents to be able to acquire sign language together in the home,” Ford added. “The parents are quite excited about this. They love the portability and feel that it’s a great learning tool that can compete with the TV and computer games that often grab their children’s attention.”
In addition to the project at the Louisiana School for the Deaf, the program is also being tested around the state with parents who have deaf children who do not attend the school.
Parton and Hancock also are evaluating the possible expansion of vocabulary to include words other than nouns.
“We believe this will spawn a debate on what is the best reinforcements we can use in the videos,” said Hancock, who was named Post Secondary Teacher of the Year by the Louisiana Association of Computer Using Educators in 2007. “The technology and its use in this setting is so new that there are a lot of areas that need refinement. Right now we’re still at the very basic stage of answering the question, ‘Is this really going to help?’ We have a very strong feeling that it will.”

DPHH in New Orleans, LA on September 12, 2009

This DPHH

Pat O'Brien's
Saturday, September 12, 2009
718 Saint Peter Street
New Orleans, LA 70116

hurricanes, grasshoppers, beer, daiquiris….and especially good southern FOOD… Pat O’s never fails us- see you there, say…. 7ish, or you may want to come earlier if you want to sample their entrees.

Online Survey about Sign Language Interpreter Personality

WASLI is committed to the development of the sign language interpreting profession worldwide
(The WASLI Executive Board has given permission to Karen and Jemina for this research study to be sent to its contact listing and database)

Dear Interpreter

We are inviting people to participate in an international online survey about signed language interpreter personality. The study is open to deaf and hearing signed language interpreters. The purpose of the research study is to investigate the general disposition of signed language interpreters by analyzing their responses to specific questions drawn from existing reliable and valid psychometric tools used to measure personality. These findings will then be evaluated in relation to various occupational performance data. The study will compare findings across several countries.

The study is being conducted by Karen Bontempo and Jemina Napier at the Department of Linguistics, Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. The project is supported by a Macquarie University Linguistics Graduate Research Scheme Grant. The Australian based research team can be contacted on telephone: +61 298 508 756; text: +61 414 801 717; fax: +61 298 509 199; email: karen.bontempo@students.mq.edu.au or jemina.napier@ling.mq.edu.au. The study is being conducted in collaboration with Laurence Hayes and Vicki Brashear at the Department of ASL and Interpreter Education; and Jerry Palmer at the Department of Psychology, Eastern Kentucky University, USA. The US based research team can be contacted on telephone: +1 859 622 4966; or fax: +1 859 622 5919; or email: laurence.hayes@eku.edu.

The online questionnaire needs to be completed before 30 September 2009.

All information gathered in the course of this research is de-identified by the anonymous online completion of the questionnaire. Individual responses therefore are confidential. Participation in the study is of course voluntary, and participants can withdraw from the survey even if they complete all questions simply by not taking the final step of “submitting” their survey responses by clicking on "done" on the last page of the survey.

The URL for the survey is https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=aM8VGCVSQ4foJwygvY4THw_3d_3d

We would be very grateful of your participation in the study, and please feel free to forward this information to your colleagues.

Thank you in anticipation.

Regards,
Karen & Jemina

Karen Bontempo & Jemina Napier
Department of Linguistics
Macquarie University
Email: karen.bontempo@students.mq.edu.au

2010 Census Cautions

(EDITOR'S NOTE: When filling out for the Census, please do write down ASL as the primary language in your household)

2010 Census Cautions
2009-09-08 11:29:00-04


2010 Census Cautions -- Be Cautious About Giving Info to Census Workers

We all know about being careful, but a reminder never hurts.

Subject: 2010
Census Cautions

Good Advice.... please take a few seconds to read this.. pass on to your family, friends and
neighbors....

Conversation: 2010 Census Cautions

Be Cautious About Giving Info to Census Workers

With the U.S. Census process beginning, the Better Business Bureau
(BBB) advises people to be cooperative, but cautious, so as not to become a
victim of fraud or identity theft.

The first phase of the 2010

U..S. Census is under way as workers have begun verifying the addresses of

households across the country.
Eventually, more than 140,000 U.S. Census workers will count every person in
the United States and will gather information about every person living at
each address including name, age, gender, race, and other relevant data.
The big question is - how do you tell the difference between a U.S. Census
worker and a con artist???
BBB offers the following advice:
** If a U.S. Census worker knocks on your door, they will have:
1. a badge,
2. a handheld device,
3. a Census Bureau canvas bag, and a confidentiality notice
4. Ask to see their identification and their
badge before answering their questions.
These will probably be strangers... However, you should never invite
anyone you don't know into your home... do not allow them into your home,
outside is just fine!!!
** Census workers are currently
only knocking on doors to verify address information.
Do not give your Social Security number,
credit card or banking information to anyone,
even if they claim they need it for the U.S. Census.
While the Census Bureau might ask for basic financial information,
such as a salary range, it will not ask for Social Security, bank account,
or credit card numbers nor will employees solicit donations.
Eventually, Census workers may contact you by telephone, mail, or in
person at home.
However, they will not contact you by Email, so be on the
lookout for Email scams impersonating the Census..
Never click on a link or open any attachments in an Email that are
supposedly from the U.S.
Census Bureau.
For more advice on avoiding
identity theft and fraud, visit
http://www.bbb.org/

Free Books for those who live in St. Charlres Parish

United Way of St. Charles Board of Directors approved the expansion of its Success By 6® program to include the Imagination Library.

The Imagination Library is a United Way of St. Charles program that provides any child, age birth to five, a FREE book every month.

The only requirement for this program is that the children must reside in St. Charles Parish and must be between the age birth to 5 years old. The books will be age appropriate and sent directly to the child's house.

United Way of St. Charles is currently accepting registrations for the Imagination Library. To register, call 985-331-9063.

United Way of St. Charles Success By 6® program works to provide high quality, early learning opportunities for children to prepare them to be successful when they start school.

For more information, call Kacy at 985-331-9063 or visit www.uwaysc.org.

2009 Louisiana Job Fairs

2009 Louisiana Job Fairs

Sponsored by Louisiana Medicaid Infrastructure Grant

Lead Agency: Louisiana Rehabiliation Services

Below is a list of the 2009 Louisiana Job Fairs. If you receive social security benefits, you can register on-line or by phone to attend one of the Work Incentives Seminar Events to learn about work incentives. See below for WISE Event Registration information. Don't forget to visit www.work-pays.org for additional employment related information.

2009 LOUISIANA JOB FAIRS for persons with disAbilities

Thursday, October 1, 2009
Doors open to public 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Knights of Columbus, # 2732
1578 W. Hall Ave.
Slidell, LA. 70458

Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Doors open to public 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Business and Career Solutions Center
4250 5th Ave.
Lake Charles, LA 70607

Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Doors open to public 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Christ United Methodist Church
1204 Crabapple Drive
Shreveport, LA 71118-4097

Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Doors open to public 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Eastbank Regional Library
4747 W. Napoleon Ave.
Metairie, La 70001

Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Doors open to public 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Heymann Performing Arts Center
1373 S. College Road
Lafayette, LA 70503-290

Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Doors open to public 9:00 a.m. - 12:00p.m.
Monroe Civic Center
401 Lea Joyner Expressway
Monroe, LA 71201

Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Doors open to public 9:00 a.m. - 12:00p.m.
City of Pineville, Main Street Community Center
708 Main Street
Pineville, LA 71360

Thursday, October 22, 2009
Doors open to public 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Louisiana Technical College
3250 N. Acadian Thruway East
Baton Rouge, LA 70805

Thursday, October 29, 2009
Doors open to public 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Evergreen Cajun Center
4695 W. Main Street
Houma, LA 70360

WISE Event REGISTRATION
Please register on-line at:
www.socialsecurity.gov/work/wise.html

or by calling 1-877-743-8237 (V/TTY)

LADBC Labor Day Picnic

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LABOR DAY PICNIC



Presented by



LOUISIANA ACADIANA

DEAF-BLIND CITIZENS, INC.

(LADBC)



@ Girard Park Pavilion

500 Girard Park Drive

Lafayette, Louisiana



Saturday, September 12, 2009 @ 9:00 AM ‘till 5:00 PM

ADMISSION: $3.00 each member

$5.00 each non-member

$1.00 each child (Ages: 7 to 17)

FREE each child (Ages: 6 and UNDER)



ENTRÉE

Served at NOON



Texas-sized BBQ Hamburger

(or)

Grilled Chicken Burger Dinner

Includes baked beans & chips PLUS one FREE drink

$7.00 each plate

(Pre-order EARLY, PLEASE!)

No Outside Food Brought In

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GRAND PRIZE: GPS, Portable DVD, and TV

~ PARADE of PRIZES ~ 50/50 CHANCE ~ FUN ~

~ GAMES ~ DOOR PRIZES ~ WATERFUN ~

(Bring extra clothes)



>> Play Potto – Win $$Jackpot$$ <<

Pay $1.00 each - Guess any three-digit number

(000 thru 999).





Consider WALK-A-THON?



Make your own donation to join the one-lap (1.25 miles) walk OR sponsor in supporting great cause of the Deaf-Blind community needs…

To register at 9:00 AM; Walk starts @ 10:00 AM

Note: Girard Park has beautiful wide-open park including playgrounds and widened trail-walkpath around its park.



àFREE Water Bottles to all participants!



Contact Angela Lentini and Annie Tu, Co-chairs for more information by e-mail at LADBC1980@gmail.com













-----cut out------cut out-------cut out-----cut out------

ORDER FORM Deadline: Monday, September 7th



Name:___________________________________



Entrée
Price
Quanity
Total

Texas-Sized Hamburger
$7.00 each

$

Grilled Chicken Burger
$7.00 each

$






Join or Sponsor

Walk-a-thon
Donation
-----
$



Subtotal
$




Make payable & mail directly to:

LADBC

Attn: Annie Tu, Treasurer

409 W. St. Mary Blvd.

Lafayette, LA 70506



Thank you for your support!