Governor's Office of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Resources

Assistive Technology & Hearing Aids

Assistive technology (AT) is any item, piece of equipment or product system that is used to increase, maintain or improve the functional abilities of an individual with a disability. Examples of AT includes hearing aids, visual smoke detectors, telecommunications devices and other technology used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities.

HEARING AIDS AND ASSISTIVE LISTENING DEVICES

Hearing Aids

Some examples of hearing aids

A hearing aid is a small electronic device that you wear in or behind your ear. It makes some sounds louder so that a person with hearing loss can listen, communicate, and participate more fully in daily activities. A hearing aid can help people hear more in both quiet and noisy situations. However, only about one out of five people who would benefit from a hearing aid actually uses one.

A hearing aid has three basic parts: a microphone, amplifier, and speaker. The hearing aid receives sound through a microphone, which converts the sound waves to electrical signals and sends them to an amplifier. The amplifier increases the power of the signals and then sends them to the ear through a speaker.

Assistive Listening Devices

An assisted listening device

An assistive listening device (ALD) is any type of device that can help people with hearing loss function better in day-to-day communication situations. An ALD can be used with or without hearing aids to overcome the negative effects of distance, background noise, or poor room acoustics. So even if a person uses a hearing aid, ALDs can offer greater ease of hearing (and therefore reduced stress and fatigue) in many day-to-day.

Audio Induction Loop A system that consists of a microphone, an amplifier, and a length of properly sized wire or cable which encircles the seating area. To pick up the signals, deaf and/or hard of hearing listeners must have their hearing aids turned to the "T" (telecoil) switch and sit within or near the loop or encircled seating area.

FM system This wireless system transmits sound via radio waves. The speaker wears a compact transmitter and microphone while the listener wears a portable receiver. This receiver can have a headphone, neckloop or other accessories attached to it. This system is commonly used indoors or outdoors for group meetings, church settings and classes.
Infrared system This wireless system transmits sound via invisible light beams. The receiver must be in direct line of sight of the light beam from the transmitter. This can only be used indoors. They are generally located in churches, theaters and auditoriums.
Personal amplification system This is a personal amplification system that is portable and can be used indoors or outdoors. It is used for one-on-one conversations or TV listening.
TV infrared listening device This device is similar to the FM and Infrared Systems. The transmitter is placed on the TV and plugs into an electrical outlet. The user wears a headset (receiver) operated by batteries. The volume is controlled from the headset, rather than from the TV. The volume of the TV can then be set at a comfortable volume for other listeners.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

A device to assist with phone calls

There are many different kinds of equipment and services to enable people with hearing loss to use a phone or make phone calls. Some examples of equipment used to make phone calls are CapTel, TTYs, and video phones.

Amplified ringersVarious types of ringers can be attached to a telephone line to inform a hard of hearing person that the telephone is ringing.

Amplified telephone There are numerous telephones that have built-in amplifiers that vary in range from 25 to 55 decibels. Many of these telephones have variable tone selectors and loud ringers.

TTY (sometimes referred to as TDD) A TTY has a keyboard with a visual display screen that allows people to communicate with each other over the telephone lines by typing and reading their conversations. With appropriate software and equipment, computers can function as TTYs. Portable and wireless TTYs are also available.

VCO Telephone

Voice carry over (VCO) telephone VCO technology is for people who are unable to hear over the telephone but prefer to use their voice to communicate. VCO telephone calls must be made through a relay service. This connection allows the person with the hearing loss to speak to the other party and read their incoming message on the telephone’s display screen. There is also a portable VCO device, which can be attached to cell phones, pay phones, or cordless phones.

Video Phones (VPs) Video phones allow people who are deaf and hard or hearing to communicate with others using American Sign Language over a videophone connection. They can contact other deaf people who also have videophones directly, or they can contact hearing people through the Video Relay Service.

ALERTING DEVICES

Alerting Devices

Alerting devices use flashing lights or vibrations to alert people with a hearing loss to various environmental sounds. Some devices respond to one specific signal, such as a doorbell. Other devices respond to a variety of signals: the ring of a doorbell or telephone, the cry of a baby, and the sound of alarm clocks, fire/smoke alarms.

Many of these systems transmit signals to receivers located throughout a home or office, activating a light to flash or a device to vibrate. Some systems even allow you to use your existing alarms and doorbells making additional electrical wiring unnecessary.

Examples include: a baby cry signaler, a doorbell signaler, a smoke alarm signaler, a telephone signaler, and a wake-up alarm signaler.