RE: campus s

[Guest guest]

First, let me caveat this by saying technology is not my thing. But I

thought the Microlink referred to the boots on the hearing aids, where the

Campus S is the transmitter. My son has Microlink boots on his aids, and up

until this year he used the Campus S transmitter. This year he has the

EasyLink, which the teachers find even easier to use. It hangs on a cord

around the neck, and still picks up the teacher's voice amazingly well,

without being intrusive like the headset. We have been really pleased with

the performance so far. My son is in a class of 21 kids, first grade, and I

imagine it gets pretty noisy.

I believe the EasyLink is the same price (or close to) as the Campus S; I

would suggest you speak to a Phonak rep for more detail.

Good luck,

Stefanie

Mom to Ben, 7, severe to profound HOH, and Isabella, 10, mild loss

on 11/8/05 8:26 AM, frtoube@... at frtoube@... wrote:

> Help! My son's old TOD went into his nursery today, together with his new TOD,

> just to see how was getting on. She e-

> mailed me afterwards, commenting on how bad the background noise was (we knew

> this, and she agreed that it wasn't

> worse than most nursery schools). However, she also said that she had tested

> out his FM, and it wasn't giving him much

> extra information with all that background noise. The FM he uses is the Phonak

> Microlink. She has suggested that we swtich

> to the Campus S. I have done a quick bit of research on the web, and it looks

> like it might be a good choice, as the Microlink

> is recommended for adults and the Campus S is recommended for schools.

>

> Anyone have any experience of the Campus S? Is is better than the Microlink

> for a little boy?

>

> She recommended that the teachers use the headset to ensure the microphone is

> as close to their mouths as possible. They

> are pretty resistent about this (it's a private school - I can't force them to

> use it) but I might be able to persuade them to

> use it...and anyhow, they could always wear the lapel mike right up at the top

> of their clothes.

>

> Any views?

>

> Thanks in advance

>

> Felicity

> (Mom to , severe/profound SNHL, Phonak Superos, aged 3.25 and Ben, 18

> months, hearing and singing the Darth

> Vader theme tune today - don't ask)

[Guest guest]

I think the EasyLink is the newer version of the HandiMic... For sure

teachers and my boys have preferred that setup to the Campus S.

Also, I believe you can request a trial period with Phonak - we did when

Sam first got his FM system with the microlink boots...

Barbara

Stefanie Cloutier wrote:

> First, let me caveat this by saying technology is not my thing. But I

> thought the Microlink referred to the boots on the hearing aids, where the

> Campus S is the transmitter. My son has Microlink boots on his aids,

> and up

> until this year he used the Campus S transmitter. This year he has the

> EasyLink, which the teachers find even easier to use. It hangs on a cord

> around the neck, and still picks up the teacher's voice amazingly well,

> without being intrusive like the headset. We have been really pleased with

> the performance so far. My son is in a class of 21 kids, first grade,

> and I

> imagine it gets pretty noisy.

>

> I believe the EasyLink is the same price (or close to) as the Campus S; I

> would suggest you speak to a Phonak rep for more detail.

>

> Good luck,

> Stefanie

> Mom to Ben, 7, severe to profound HOH, and Isabella, 10, mild loss

>

****************

Barbara Mellert

Manager, Social Science Computing

Kiewit Computing Services

Dartmouth College

13A Silsby Hall, HB 6121

Hanover NH 03755

Telephone: 603/646-2877

URL: http://www.dartmouth.edu/~ssc

[Guest guest]

Yes, Barbara, I thought that when I heard your description of the HandiMic!

The EasyLink is also the cheaper, stripped-down version of the SmartLink,

which also has blutooth technology features as well as remote features,

neither of which Ben needs right now.

We really love the EasyLink for all the reasons you mentioned, and the

teachers love it too. And the mic seems to pick up sound like you wouldn't

believe!

Stefanie

on 11/8/05 11:56 AM, Barbara Mellert at Barbara.T.Mellert@...

wrote:

> I think the EasyLink is the newer version of the HandiMic... For sure

> teachers and my boys have preferred that setup to the Campus S.

>

> Also, I believe you can request a trial period with Phonak - we did when

> Sam first got his FM system with the microlink boots...

>

> Barbara

>

[Guest guest]

Hello Felicity,

My son, Caleb, first got his campus S last spring. He was in private

preschool at the time. The teacher was very cooperative and she noticed

a huge difference in is ability to follow directions and keep up with

what was happening in the classroom with in the first week of using it.

The mike clips right to your shirt. We allowed his classmates to listen

in and speak through the mike using a stethoscope and his aids, when he

first brought it to school.

I have no experience with the Microlink, so I can't help you there, but

we are pleased with the campus S.

Hope this helps.

Caleb, 6, mild to profound bilateral SNHL, aided

, 8, hearing

[Guest guest]

About choosing an FM system and debating which one would be best -- this

should be a no-brainer for the people at the school if they bothered to think

about it. (Pardon the caps, and feel free to use a slightly sarcastic tone

when passing the info along to the school personnel) They can get a FREE TEST

PERIOD for each choice for 30 DAYS. That way they can let the child and teacher

use the equipment, not just play with it in an office for 20 minutes. You

get real-time use of it and can see which one works for your child and the

setting.

Have them request each one they're considering for a test drive. It's really

simple. They tell the Phonak people that they are not satisfied with the

system they currently have and want to test out the others before making the

purchase. They can also request a couple styles of microphones as part of the

test. All if takes is a phone call and a little paperwork.

Like Barbara's kids, mine prefers the candy-bar sized microphone. The

lavalier that clipped to the shirt caused Ian to hear a lot of rustling of the

cloth and clinking when hit by a piece of jewelry. The headset was not liked by

the teachers because for Ian in middle and high school it was worn by 8 people

a day and they didn't like putting things worn by other people on their

heads. (I don't blame them!)

Plus the headset blocked Ian's view of their lips, which is VERY

counterproductive for him. He really hated the headset version. And both the

lavalier

and headset are not good for passing around the room when the kids read aloud.

There's quite a bit of that kind of stuff in the elementary grades. The kids

wear his mike when giving presentations, and set it on the center of a table

during group discussions and that can't be done with the headset or lavalier.

However -- all that said, they should TEST DRIVE the different choices and

see which one works best for YOUR child.

Hope this helps -- Jill

[Guest guest]

Thanks so much for your responses. I hadn't thought about the problem with lip

reading, but is very dependent upon it

so that would be a real problem.

You are right, what he has is the Handy Mic. (I always think of it as his

Microlink, but had forgotten it had a real name!)

Actually it doesn't matter that it can't be passed round as the kids are still

very little (3 years old) and don't really talk in the

group (apart from !) or pass around the mic.

I think we wil stick with the Hand Mic and just get them to put it closer to

their mouths when they talk to the class.

Interestingly, doesn't seem to have had any problem in hearing the teachers

with the Handy Mic even though it isn't

apparently giving him much extra assistance!

Thanks again

Felicity

(Mom to 3.25 severe/profound SNHL, Ben 18 months hearing)

[Guest guest]

My son is mainstreamed in our neighborhood school where he's the

only HOH child. The Campus S's multifrequency capabilities are not

at all useful for him. But back when the FM system was first

purchased, he was in a special ed pre-school for HOH children. And

Campus S was a logical choice. So when evaluating equipment,

looking ahead a few years may be a good idea.

> About choosing an FM system and debating which one would be best --

this

> should be a no-brainer for the people at the school if they

bothered to think

> about it. (Pardon the caps, and feel free to use a slightly

sarcastic tone

> when passing the info along to the school personnel) They can get

a FREE TEST

> PERIOD for each choice for 30 DAYS. That way they can let the

child and teacher

> use the equipment, not just play with it in an office for 20

minutes. You

> get real-time use of it and can see which one works for your child

and the

> setting.

His FM system has a mini-boom mike. The mini-boom mike is anchored

with a little earpiece that goes into the ear, kind of like the

earphone piece for a cell phone. The mouth piece is really small -

basically less a 1/4 " diameter tube. I don't think it interfers

with lipreading. However, the way it anchors is a bit tricky.

His kindergarten teacher got a custom fit earmold last year. And

that seem to work out fine. His 1st grade teacher does not want to

put an earmold in her ear but she said the earpiece that came with

the mini boom mike is comfortable enough. For us, every year it's

going to be sort of a new ball game at least for the mike part.

> The headset was not liked by

> the teachers because for Ian in middle and high school it was worn

by 8 people

> a day and they didn't like putting things worn by other people on

their

> heads. (I don't blame them!)

Oh yeah, I can now see that being a problem for us 5 years down the

road.