A brief history of the Auditory-Verbal Communication Center

In 1980, Jim and Lea Watson started the Auditory-Verbal Communication Center in Gloucester to answer the request from families who wanted Auditory-Verbal Parent Guidance Therapy. As the demand for Auditory-Verbal services grew, families traveled from other parts of Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont to the Auditory-Verbal Communication Center.

Lea and Jim had the privilege to work and study under the guidance of the late Dr. Daniel Ling, O.C., PhD, Dr. Nan Phillips, PhD and Doris Leckie, M.S. at McGill University and the Montreal Oral School for the Deaf. They then practiced at the Helen Beebe Speech and Hearing Center in Pennsylvania under the direction of the late Auditory-Verbal pioneer, Helen H. Beebe, CCC.

The Auditory-Verbal Communication Center, AVCC, started as a small program teaching one family, but quickly grew to be servicing twenty families a year. The Watsons have been offered opportunities to expand the program by affiliating with institutions serving children who are deaf and hard of hearing, however, they choose to keep AVCC independent.

Audiologists and otologists from hospitals in the New York and New England area refer families to the Auditory-Verbal Communication Center. In 1993, the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary invited the Watsons to supervise a practicum for one of their audiologists in Auditory-Verbal Therapy. The Watsons also offer supervised practicum for speech-language pathology graduate students. AVCC offers a mentoring program for professionals who wish to be trained as a Certified Auditory-Verbal Therapist. Each contract is drawn up individually. Every year the Watsons lecture to the Aural Rehabilitation classes at speech-language pathology programs at New England Colleges and universities on Auditory-Verbal Therapy.

The Watsons are active in lecturing to other colleges and universities as well as presenting at the Auditory-Verbal International, Inc. (AVI) conferences and the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf, Inc. conferences. Jim is a past president of AVI, Inc. His active service to AVI spans over ten years as a Board member. Both Lea and Jim are charter members of AVI. Both long time members of the A.G.Bell Association, Jim served as an A.G.Bell Board member for two terms. Being active members of these organizations keeps the Watsons in contact with colleagues all around the world. This provides for wide range networking to keep up with the latest ideas in the field. Most AVCC families are members of Auditory-Verbal International, Inc. and the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf, Inc. As an AVCC parent, membership in these organizations is very helpful and is expected.

AVCC has always been interested in the newest technology to make listening easier for children in Auditory-Verbal Therapy. In 1988, a two-year-old AVCC student was the first child in New England to receive a cochlear implant. Because of the AVI networking with colleagues, the Watsons knew of the success children in Australia, Canada, and New York, USA were having using the cochlear implant with Auditory-Verbal Therapy. The Watsons encouraged the family to seek out the cochlear implant. Her parents opted for the technology when the cochlear implant was still in clinical trials before the FDA had approved implants for children. Studies have since shown that Auditory-Verbal Therapy is a logical and effective way to teach a child how to listen with a cochlear implant.

More research is underway at the present time. As the latest technology becomes available, AVCC parents are ready to learn about it and try what will help listening become a way of life for their children. In 2003, one AVCC family opted to have their daughter receive a second cochlear implant. This kindergarten child now listens with two cochlear implants. Being an “Auditory-Verbal Graduate”, she adjusted to hearing through the new cochlear implant readily. With parents who were well trained in developing listening skills, she benefited greatly.

Families come to AVCC from all over New England once or twice a week for the parent guidance sessions. Usually families remain in therapy until the child is in Kindergarten and support services can be established at their local school. Modifications are made in each case as parents and therapists judge appropriate. Sometimes support services can be established in pre-school. Sometimes there is a need for an experienced Auditory-Verbal Therapist to remain part of the child’s educational team into elementary and even high school.

AVCC encourages families to be aware of all the options available for them and their child when choosing how they want to teach their child to communicate. AVCC recommends that parents visit several programs to learn about other choices, in order to make an informed decision. The families who choose Auditory-Verbal Therapy show a sincere commitment to the therapy process. Trust in this therapy process enables the parents to actualize their potential as teachers for their child. This trust also allows the Auditory-Verbal Therapist the confidence to make decisions that affect the course of each child’s treatment.

At AVCC parents are given clear expectations as to what to expect in therapy and how to proceed with the goals and objectives set for their child. Parents receive immediate feedback on the progress of therapy.