After the tsunami hit Japan, schools for the deaf are calling out to ISU for a helping hand in the form of donations.

Mike Sharp, educational audiologist for Metcalf Laboratory School, is a member of the Educational Audiology Association, and said it was through the association that he found out the schools in Japan need help. He said there are two ways to donate to the schools.

“They can go to mariondowns.com/fom/index.htm and click ‘Support Us Now’ to see a category for schools in Japan. Or, they can send supplies directly to me at Campus Box 4720. We’re looking for general school supplies, hearing aid batteries, battery testers and cleaning kits,” Sharp, clinical supervisor for the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, explained.

Sharp said monetary donations are also accepted, stating the funds raised will go toward books and hearing aid supplies.

“Specific requests by the schools for the deaf will be considered when purchasing items,” Sharp said.

Sharp considers the Japanese to be modest people of basic necessity.

“Japan has always been a very independent nation and, to my knowledge, the Japanese Federation for the Deaf has always worked very hard on behalf of deaf students and adults in their country. In talking to the Red Cross, Japan has made minimal requests for aid in general and the Japanese people have been incredibly civil. There has been almost no looting and each family has taken only what they need from aid workers,” Sharp added.

Sharp has learned a lot about Japanese government because of the disasters.

“There is not a specific charity working for the
hearing impaired. There is the Japanese Federation for the Deaf that is a government agency and they’re accepting our donations. In coordinating these efforts, I have been learning a lot in a short period of time,” Sharp explained.

Sharp believes people should donate to the schools in Japan because there are seven schools for the deaf in Japan, all of which suffered some degree of damage.

“We all want to see these children get back to learning as soon as possible. Our aim is to help rebuild these kids’ lives,” Sharp said.

Sharp could not be more thrilled to be working for such a good cause.

“As the efforts in Japan shift from rescue to rebuilding, the idea that we have helped people with hearing impairment be safer (because some people need their hearing aids to hear alarms, et cetera) and get back to learning makes me feel like this is worthwhile,” Sharp said.

Tena McNamara, assistant professor of Communication Disorders and Sciences at Eastern Illinois University, is president of the Education Audiology Association and is proud of what they do as an organization.

“The Educational Audiology Association is an international organization of audiologists and related professionals who deliver a full spectrum of hearing services to all children, particularly those in educational settings,” McNamara explained.

She also stressed why it is important to help out the deaf schools in Japan.

“Often times in devastated regions, if schools are able to function then there is a chance for some normalcy in all the chaos. Plus there is nothing more important than continuation of education for students,” McNamara added.