HiP Publishing Group Distributes New Booklets on Health/Safety for All California Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children — Distributed Free Starting Now

Business Wire, April 23, 2001

Business Editors/Publication Writers

ALAMEDA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 23, 2001

HiP Publishing Group, a San Francisco Bay Area-based publisher of materials for deaf and hard-of-hearing children, has created a booklet and safety kit currently being distributed at no cost to all California school-aged children with hearing losses. Copies have been printed for the estimated 10,000 deaf and hard-of-hearing children in the state. The program was made possible by a $260,000 grant from The California Endowment, the state's largest health foundation.

"The biggest challenge for deaf and hard-of-hearing children is being shut off from communication -- not being able to overhear conversations or understand what is said in large groups, radio broadcasts or television programs," said Ellen Dolich, the co-founder of HiP Publishing Group and the director of the new health and safety series. "This is especially significant in natural disasters and emergency situations, when the ability to understand mass media or use devices like pay telephones takes on crucial significance."

To address these and other learning and communication challenges, the booklets teach health and safety strategies targeted specifically to children with hearing losses. Topics covered include using telecommunication devices for the deaf for emergency calls, coping with natural catastrophes like earthquakes and fires, learning Internet safety skills, understanding body language and protecting oneself from sexual and substance abuse.

"We want every teacher and parent of a deaf or hard-of-hearing child in California to know these books are available at no charge," said Dolich. "We created these booklets because the available health/safety materials for children do not address the special needs of this population."

The materials are presently being distributed through educators of deaf and hard-of-hearing children at California school districts and at the state's two residential schools for the deaf in Fremont and Riverside.

"Students learn real world skills that make them less vulnerable to a wide range of dangerous or difficult situations that children without hearing losses often learn more readily," said Dolich.

Three versions have been published, one each for elementary, middle school and high school students. Materials for older students cover more sophisticated subject matter, such as HIV/AIDS prevention. Spanish language editions of the booklets can be downloaded at HiP's web site at www.hipworks.org/hiponhealth, and printed teaching guides are available in both English and Spanish.

HiP Publishing Group is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation that has achieved national success in producing print and electronic educational materials for deaf and hard-of-hearing children. It has garnered three major awards--the Parent's Choice Award, the Educational Press Award, and the Equality, Dignity and Independence Award from the National Easter Seal Society.

For more information, visit HiP's Web site at www.hipworks.org or call the contact numbers. Electronic copies of the booklets can be downloaded from the Web site.

Sample copies of the booklets can be sent to you via Federal Express by calling Geoff Geiger at 510/523-7874 or Ellen Dolich at 510/523-4221.