What is ALDA?

ALDA-Maine, is the official Chapter of an established national Association called ALDA (see www.alda.org). ALDA stands for "association for late deafened adults." Late deafened is a confusing term for many - please keep reading.

ALDA started in Chicago area almost 20 years ago by young adults. They had become seriously "hard of hearing" and did not wish to join the sign language non-speaking culture. They found others who understood their communication needs, gathered together and used any pencil and paper, and even a typewriter, to talk with each other (those were days before widespread use of computers and captioning). They felt enourmous relief to be with others who understood this experience when it was not understood by others (and still remains confusing for most others). They were not only "hard of hearing" since hearing aids and other listening systems were not good enough for their needs. They were not Deaf either, with a capital D, because they lived and worked in the hearing world and did not necessarily want to learn sign language.

From those early beginnings, ALDA participated in the invention of CART (real time captioning) and the national association now has many Chapters and Groups across the country, and international members too. ALDA-Maine, the first Chapter in Maine, is the only volunteer association of its kind providing information, support, friendship, advocacy, and role models for people with acquired hearing needs. We aim for regular meetings in different parts of Maine now, if enough volunteer membership energies are contributed.

ALDA empowers late deafened adults of all ages. Late deafened means only that heairng loss happens after we learn to speak. Many ALDA members have hearing loss from early childhood. Also, many people who are born deaf learn to speak (beome oral and prefer to speak instead of using sign language), and ALDA has many members of all ages who were born deaf also. Finally, many hard of hearing people find the ALDA family very comfortable and useful for their hearing concerns. ALDA is truly an inclusive association. ALDA says "whatever works" for our many communication needs.

We use CAPTIONING, LIP-READING, and whatever technologies help hearing remaining, depending on the situation. Some use hearing aids, others use FM listening systems, some learn sign language also, and we aim to educate society about speaking clearly for us. Communication is always a two way street. We want to remain active and contributing citizens in all our communities.

Join as a Sponsor of ALDA-Maine: contribute to costs for real time captioning for most meetings. People with hearing loss need captions to have equal and fair "access" to all the usual human conversations that everyone enjoys.

ALDA-MAINE Sponsors are invited to offer presentations, send us literature to distribute, link to our website, and sponsors support hearing needs of at least 1 in 9 of everyone's neighbors. Email now for more information - and people will surely "hear" all about you :-).

See our Links page for current Sponsors. We need YOU, your company or agency sponsorship, and your understanding of hearing loss. 

Request your FREE copy of the first issue of our HEARING LOSS HERALD! Email: aldamaine@gmail.com