Assistive Listening Devices
For many people, the use of hearing aids will enhance their communication and listening skills, but hearing aids alone can't be expected to solve every hardship that results from hearing loss.
Assistive devices can help to make interpersonal and group communication more manageable in noisy environments, in situations with poor acoustics or where distance is a factor.
Assistive listening devices include any device, except hearing aids, which help a hearing impaired person communicate more effectively through direct sound amplification, or visual or vibrotactile alerts.
Assistive devices include an array of technology:
- Television and telephone aids
- Alerting or signaling devices
- Personal or large area assistive listening systems
Assistive devices are also known as auxiliary aids, assistive listening devices or ALDs.