When one hears the term Assistive Listening Devices, (ALDs), FM systems immediately come to mind. However there are a multitude of other ALDs available for individuals with a hearing loss. There are many available for the visually impaired but that would be another article given the innovative technology of the '90s. It is my intention (in this article) to provide the reader with an overview of the devices on the market to assist those with a hearing loss.
Assistive listening devices and systems are grouped into four categories: alerting systems; media amplifiers; personal amplifiers; and TTYs. This article is dedicated to the first category, alerting systems. These include flashing lights, vibrating indicators, smoke/fire/gas alarms and telephone ringers.
Some examples are listed below.
ALERTMASTER
This system alerts you to activities in your home such as the door bell ringing, the phone ringing, baby crying, or someone entering your home. It also has a connected lamp with flashing patterns for different alerts. It comes with a powerful bed shaker for a night time notification or "wake up" call. It is a wireless system and is available in different models to fit the pocketbook.
SILENT SERVANT "B"
This system alerts you to a doorbell, alarm clock, phone and smoke with both bed vibrator and strobe light. It includes a TTY. The kit comes in a tote and is ideal for traveling.
DIALOGUE VCO
This system features a built-in answering machine and displays the messages on a display screen. A built-in powerful amplifier can increase the receiver volume by 30dB and the handset is hearing aid compatible. The ringer puts out 85dB and a bright flasher lets you see the ringing of the incoming call. The keys are large, easy-to-read and you can also use them to type text messages to communicate with a TTY.
VIBRATING SIGNAL SYSTEM
This is a transmitter and receiver system. The transmitter is placed in a central location where it will receive signals from various sensors and a send a signal to the vibrating receiver. It will send up to four different vibration patterns. The receiver is compact and fits easily in your pocket. Additional vibrating receivers are available.
LIGHT SIGNALING SYSTEM
The Control Unit is placed on a table and uses direct connect sensors to alert for sounds. This system provides up to five different flashing patterns depending on the sensor activated. The Control Unit sends the signal to the Remote Receivers to flash the appropriate code. It can also activate a bed vibrator.
KNOCK SENSOR
This is designed to monitor knocks at the door. It attaches to the inside of the door and signals the Personal Receiver when someone knocks. It is also available with a light kit.
VIBRAILLE CLOCK with VIBRATOR
This clock is designed for the deaf-blind individual. The numbers are in Braille and the unit has a vibrator and an audible alarm. This clock is also available with a transmitter to activate a personal receiver.
SILENT CALL
This system is composed of a small wireless personal device that receives coded signals and a group of transmitters that send these coded signals. A receiver unit is available that can be worn on your belt loop. The receiver also turns on a light under the proper symbol to let you know which transmitter is sending the signal. For a deaf-blind individual a vibra call receiver is available. The buttons can be pushed to repeat the vibration a second time thus alerting the person to the correct signal. (phone, door, appliance, baby crying, etc.)
This is only a small sample of the "other" assistive devices available. I recommend that you call any of the companies listed below (and there are many more of these too) and obtain their catalogues. Or call me to inquire further about what is available. Since your individual needs vary, some companies will design a product to assist you.
Harc Mercantile LS&S Group Quest Electronics Sonic Alert
(800) 445-9968 voice
(800) 468-4789 voice
(800) 245-0779 voice/tty
(810) 656-3110 voice/tty
(616) 381-0177 tty
(800) 317-8533 tty
In an effort to provide our clients with better service and increased availability, California Deaf-Blind Services has established a web site and is now equipped with e-mail and web access. As e-mail and internet access become more popular in the home and at school, parents, teachers and students are looking for resources on the web, and we're proud to provide you with a wide array of products and services that are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. So what does the web site offer? We've tried to include as much as possible, and most existing resources are available there.
To serve you more effectively, our staff members now have e-mail accounts so that you can send them your questions, comments or ideas. Check out the staff directory on the web for a list of e-mail addresses. For questions or comments about the web site, you can send e-mail to: webmaster@cdbs.org.
In an effort to keep things simple, we decided to secure our own domain name, so you don't have to write down any complicated addresses. All you need to remember is our name! And to keep things moving so that you don't have to wait, our pages are not graphic intensive, so you can come and get the information you need without waiting for complicated pages to finish loading.
Our site is optimized to run best with Netscape Navigator (which is available free to educational customers), and I suggest version 3 or later to view some of the tables, but version 2 will work fine. You will need to download your free copy of Adobe Acrobat if you wish to download a copy of reSources or any of our Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese or Laotian Fact Sheets due to those languages' use of special characters. Acrobat's PDF format allows you to download, view and print pages that match our printed versions. English fact sheets can be viewed using your web browser. For a complete explanation, visit our web site, or drop me a line.
I highly suggest that anyone with web access check out our site. Of course, if you don't have web access, you can still reach us toll free at (800)822-7884 inside California, or (714)837-8551 from other states to reach our staff members or to receive items via US Mail.
Communication in and around the home environment can be difficult for the parent(s) of a child with no hearing loss. Take the same environment, adding hearing loss and it can become impossible. Wireless FM devices provide a bridge to this scenario where hearing aids fall short. Hearing aids amplify environments; wireless FM devices amplify spoken audio through a transmitter/microphone. These devices work on the same principle as a d.j. in a radio station and somebody driving down the highway in their car. The person with the transmitter/microphone is the d.j. and the child with the receiver is the person in the car. Another simple example of how these devices work is to say for example Dad is at the kitchen sink washing dishes. The child with the hearing loss is in the living room watching television. Right here they would have to compensate for the sound of running water, the audio from the television, and the amount of space between them. This configuration is better known as signal to noise ratio. Wireless FM devices effectively collapse signal to noise ratio by reducing background noise and providing audio as if Dad was speaking directly into the child's ear. Another major benefit of FM is that it can travel through walls, giving advantages even those with normal hearing cannot benefit from.
Telex Communications, Inc. offers a variety of wireless FM systems designed for use in and around the home environment, as well as the classroom. The products range from assistive listening devices (designed for those with mild to moderate hearing loss) such as the SR100/TW6AA to the new Select 240 ear level auditory trainer (designed for those with severe to profound hearing loss). Telex has been a leader in wireless FM technology for over twenty years. The next time you are watching a football game, take a look at the coaches' headphones, you will see the name Telex!!!
Any questions, call Rich at 1-800-223-6999
Initially, the aids should be worn for small increments of time and under close supervision to insure their safety and to observe the child's reaction. For initial use (when the child is first introduced to wearing an aid) plan a structured, enjoyable activity (i.e. listening to music, vocal play). After a set amount of time, the aids should be removed and kept in their storage case.
Always have spare batteries.
Daily maintenance should include making sure batteries are working, ear molds should be clean and free of wax, and tubing should be free of moisture. Consult the audiologist, hearing aid dealer and the teacher of the hearing impaired for additional maintenance information.
Remove the aids when swimming, bathing or doing any type of water play.
The aids should be turned to the off position (normally marked "O") when inserting the molds into the ears. Turn on and adjust the volume to the recommended settings.
When the aids are not in use, be sure they are turned off and the battery compartments opened. This will prolong the life of the batteries. Be sure to send spare batteries to school.
Despite your best efforts to keep the aids functioning and in place, we all have horror stories of aids being tossed out of bus windows, flushed down the toilet, buried in the sand at recess, lost on field trips and other interesting places. Monofilament (fishing) line can be used to secure the aids by tying one end of the line to the aid (plastic hook that goes over the ear) and the other to a safety pin attached to an article of clothing. Multiple aids in a classroom can be marked with each child's initials in an inconspicuous spot on the aid with indelible ink or nail polish to help keep the correct aid in the ear of the intended wearer.