Asstd Listening Devices post 2

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More in depth info you should read:

Assistive Listening Devices

FM system | Hard-Wired Devices | Infrared Device | Induction Loop Devices |

Sound Field System

Assistive listening devices (ALDs) filter out unwanted background noise

(students talking, books being opened/closed, chairs sliding) so that the user

primarily hears the speaker. ALDs are primarily used in large group or lecture

settings, as well as smaller settings where it would be helpful to have the

sound source focused.

A considerable drawback to the use of ALDs is that since a student is primarily

getting information from one source, it is much harder to hear the comments made

by others in the classroom or lecture hall. It can be helpful for instructors to

be aware of this and to rephrase the question for the student using the ALD. For

students who are deaf/hard of hearing, ALDs also help to improve the quality of

speech, thereby sometimes reducing the need to speech read/read lips or have an

interpreter.

ALDs can be used for students who are not deaf/hard of hearing, but benefit from

one main source of audio input. This can be used to help a student focus on a

lecture, rather than be distracted by all other noises that can occur in the

classroom.

Each category of ALDs have different models available. When you are working with

a student who needs an ALD, it is best to talk to the student to find out what

they have used in the past and what works/doesn't work for them. If the student

is unsure, there are various audiologists, hearing aid companies and

rehabilitation services that should be able to provide you with suggestions and

recommendations based on hearing loss.

There are several different types of ALDs:

FM System

FM system refers to a " frequency modulated " radio wave system which uses a

transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter is connected to a microphone and

given to the instructor or plugged into a television. The transmitter is small

enough it can be put in a pocket or clipped onto a belt. The microphone can be

clipped to a shirt or held by the instructor. The student wears the receiver and

can adjust the volume to a personal level of comfort. When the transmitter and

receiver are on the same frequency wave, the student hears the instructor

clearly through radio signals. This type of ALD works with students who have

severe to profound hearing loss.

There are two ways a student can hear the information sent to the receiver. The

student can wear a magnetic loop around his/her neck and set the hearing aid to

" T " for t-coil, or telephone. This will only work if a student both has a

hearing aid and has the " T " setting on the hearing aid. One may need to

specifically ask this question, as some who wear hearing aids do not use the

" T-coil " . Some hearing aids don't have a " T-coil " setting as an option.

Some students can place the transmitter in the middle of the table during small

group discussions.

The second option for a student to hear the information sent to the receiver is

by use of headphones or ear buds. The positive aspects of the FM system are that

it provides quality sound input to students directly to their ears or hearing

aid, eliminating background noises which can be distracting to some students, or

that make it more difficult to hear the instructor.

The one thing that FM systems do not do is provide a " secure " signal. Anyone who

is close in range of the FM system can pick up on its radio frequency. This can

also be a problem if two FM systems are being used in different rooms that are

in close proximity to one another. It would not be uncommon for a student in a

history class to hear another instructor's lecture in another FM system's users

biology class if the FM frequencies are the same.

Some hearing aids have FM systems that can be attached to the hearing aid. In

some cases, this is considered to be a personal accommodation because unless

other students with the same hearing aid attend the same college or university,

the FM system is only accessible to one student. However, there are FM systems

that can be used regardless of the type of hearing aid if it has a t-coil.

If more than one person will be using the transmitter at one time, additional

receivers will need to be purchased and put on the same channel (frequency wave)

as the other transmitters are using.

Costs of FM Systems vary from around $500 to over $2,000.

Infrared Device

An infrared listening system uses invisible light waves that transmit sound from

the instructor or television, which is then sent to the receiver worn by the

student. This type of ALD works best with mild hearing loss. This type of ALD

also works best for theater type style situations.

There are two ways a student can hear the information sent to the receiver. The

student can wear a magnetic loop around his/her neck and set the hearing aid to

" T " for t-coil, or telephone. This will only work if a student both has a

hearing aid and has the " T " setting on the hearing aid. One may need to

specifically ask this question, as some who wear hearing aids do not use the

" T-coil " . Some hearing aids don't have a " T-coil " setting as an option.

The second option for a student to hear the information sent to the receiver is

by use of headphones. Either option is acceptable, but the user must remember to

keep the receiver where it is picked up by the transmitter in order to work.

This means keeping the both out, not hidden under clothing where the signal

cannot be sent.

Since infrared devices use light waves, the transmission is confined to one

particular room. This type of ALD is more " secure " in that a student in a

different classroom cannot hear a different lecture in another room, as is

sometimes the case with an FM system.

Transmission of infrared devices can be affected if there is a large amount of

sun light or certain types of florescent lights in the classroom or lecture

hall.

No pricing could be found on Infrared Devices.

Induction Loop Devices

An Induction Loop Device is a loop that goes around an object, and the student

sits or stands in the middle of the loop. Such examples can be a chair or an

entire room.

Induction Loop Devices will only work if a student both has a hearing aid and

has the " T " setting on the hearing aid. The speaker will speak into the

transmitter's microphone while the student will be in the middle of the loop.

The student will turn the hearing aid to " T " and receive the information from

his or her instructor. One may need to specifically ask this question, as some

who wear hearing aids do not use the " T-coil " . Some hearing aids don't have a

" T-coil " setting as an option. Another option is to have a separate receiver and

headphones.

While the loop can be used almost anywhere, the loop can also be damaged,

causing problems with sound transmission. Also, larger loops can create

additional access barriers or safety issues which include a student who is

unaware of the loop and walks into it or trips over the loop, which is a

potential hazard to both the student and to the equipment itself.

Any noise that is caused by electromagnetic fields can interfere with Induction

Loops so it is important to minimize exposure to them.

Distance is important when it comes to the Induction Loop. One can still hear

the speaker if they leave the looped area, but the quality will deteriorate as

one moves away from the loop. Also, this means that others walking past the loop

with their hearing aid on the " T-coil " setting or those with a receiver may pick

up on the conversation. In addition, with really large rooms, some areas may

need to have several loops to avoid areas within the room where the Induction

Loop would not work properly due to size.

Installation costs can be high for an Induction Loop, depending on where the

loop will be located, how much wire is being used, and if remodeling to the room

needs to be done before or after installation.

No exact costs of Induction Loops could be found.

Hard-Wired Devices

Hard-Wired Devices are used when a direct connection between the instructor and

the student can be established. The instructor will use a microphone or plug in

with a cord. The student will plug the other end of the cord into his or her

hearing aid. The student can then better understand the speaker while

eliminating background noise and distractions. This type of ALD works well with

conductive hearing loss, which deals with sound transmission within the middle

ear, as students with this type of hearing loss often benefit from

amplification.

This ALD is not possible if a student does not have a hearing aid or the

capability to plug into equipment into the hearing aid.

Hard-Wired Devices work well for one-on-one, individual situations, but are not

practical for classroom or lecture situations because it involves wires and

relatively close contact between instructor and student.

This is the least expensive type of ALD on the market.

Sound Field System

The Sound Field System consists of a portable speaker that is placed close to

the user. This can be helpful in classrooms for people with mild or moderate

disabilities. Sound Field Systems are the same as wireless speakers.