General Assembly Meeting 

See Meeting Results

The OAD General Assembly Meeting held on September 25, 2004 was divided into three groups. Verne Taylor,Jr. was a facilitator for the meeting. He did an outstanding job !! He explained that this was the opportunity for members to make motions for issues for OAD to work and focus on over the next two years. Some motions are being considered. Some issues may be referred to the OAD Board Members for their focus.

Here are the highlights of what each of the three groups discussed:

Group One discussed the following issues: (1) Improve Marketing and Public Relations (Tax Write Off), (2) Interpreters at the Doctor's Office (County Medical Society to FUND Interpreters - Rainbow Fund), (3) Child Rights Acts, (4) Education on Employment Discrimination, (5) CDL - DOT Policy, (6) Workshops on Living Wills, Trusts, Tax Mutual Funds, Insurance, and House Insurance, (7) OAD's own credit cards, (8) Bad Storm - Tornado Warning System, (9) TTY's (OHIO one of the few which does not provide), and (10) Captioned News "LIVE".

Group Two discussed the following issues: (1) Interpreter's place in the classroom (front or back, with the teacher or student?), (2) ORS 7-1-1 (too fast and TTY garbled message. It took too long to answer), (3) Education for Deaf Kids (K-12) , (4) Members # (Need to get involved - How to make OAD more visible), (5) Qualified Interpreters for Drivers' Tests, (6) More cooperation between different deaf organization as one voice - UNITY, (7) Mainstreamed Deaf Kids more involved in social and leadership - not dependent on interpreters, but on their own abilities (Deaf Leadership), (8) OAD, Jr. (it should be NAD,Jr.) needs to be established ALL around OHIO as it has been established for OSD, (9) Infants born Deaf to hearing parents - parents need more balanced information - give them more information - not depend on the doctor or audiologist who are too biased toward cochlear implants - more deaf role models or MENTORs ( Parenting) ( 1 SP + IEP later), (10) Speak up - Parenting Advocate, and (11) Interpreter skills - how to encourage Interpreters to keep improving (or get out of interpreting) - especially "Grandfather" interpreters (ODE to give INFO on classes for OAD to encourage this).

Group Three discussed the following issues: (1) Driving Test ( A. Southeast already has a driving program (revision) and B. OAD Representative should check other locations for driving programs to compare the differences), (2) D-Link and Sorenson, (3) Ordering food through Drive-through Restaurants, (4) Investigating Cinema theaters for CC movies - more choices of movies and a new system must be approved by the Deaf community, not the hearing community, (5) Certified Deaf Interpreters in Court, (6) How to recruit more members to OAD (Deaf Clubs, churches, and deaf organizations - recommend having a TASK FORCE), (7) Regional Representatives must attend CCD's DAC meetings and events, and (8) Improve OAD finances by using an investment system.

Members voted for the most important issues on the list. Groups brainstormed issues which were felt to be important. Here is the list of issues voted as most important: (1) Driving Test - 5 votes, (2) Relay Services - Active, (3) Education K - 12 - 6 votes, (4) Educational Interpreting - 8 votes, (5) Recruiting/Marketing/Public Relations - 11 votes, (6) Child Bill Rights - 8 votes, (7) Restaurant ordering - NONE , (8) Finances - 7 votes, (9) Regional Representatives - NONE , and (10) Workshop/Education - NONE.

The top three ISSUES are what OAD will focus on over the next two years. If you are interested in serving on a committee, please notify Verne Taylor, Jr., Robert Cooper or Charles Owen III. This will be brought up at our OAD Board meeting on January 29, 2005 in Brunswick, Ohio for discussion.

The top three Issues are (1) Education Committee, (2) OAD Growth, and (3) Bill of Rights for Children.

The highlights for Education Committee are: (1) Better qualified Interpreters (provide CEU's and enforce them), (2) Deaf Adult Role Models (MDOP visit), (3) Raise the Level of Expectations (better or more challenging classes for motivated kids), (4) Provide AIDs (to help slow learners - i.e. tutoring?), (5) Better ways to communicate (communication of more information/new ideas for different school systems and kids themselves (newsletter, Magazine, e-mail, or website ?), (6) Social activities (extra-curricular for hobbies, sports, and interests along with education), and (7) Help hearing and deaf children learn together.

The highlights of the update for the video Driving Test are: (1) Southeast already has a revised driving program, (2) OAD Regional Representatives should check other locations in their area, and (3) Write a letter to BMV regarding the test video.

The highlights for OAD Growth are: (1) have a committee improve on investment, (2) Pass out small cards for recruiting new/old members, (3) make appearances at various deaf organizations (including different races), (4) recognize member involvement in various organization, (5) Include a history of OAD accomplishments in the marketing package, (6) be more Sociable, (7) Golf, Fishing, M/C Yacht Club, and (8) Public Awareness (TV exposure newspaper, magazine, etc.).