Assistive Devices
Hearing Devices
Widex - This is a nice site that explains from the hearing system to assistive
devices
Independent Living Devices
Sound and Fury - Deaf Culture
Common questions hearing people ask about basic living and the answers.
Alerting Devices for People with Hearing Loss
This site also lists vendors. There is a lot of information about
hearing loss, specifically discussing individuals who are hard of
hearing.
The vendor sites are a great place to learn more about the devices
available. They usually carry a variety of products and list the
features and costs.
Communication Devices
Most people are familiar with the TTY device deaf and hard-of-hearing people can use to communicate with others by telephone. Videophones and the use of Video Relay Services are becoming more readily available in homes, public and private places, and schools. These devices take advantage of Internet connections to allow individuals to communicate in sign language directly with individuals or through a relay operator, as in the case with the TTY device.
It is important for students who are deaf/hh to learn how to use these communication devices so they can learn how to use relay systems and independently communicate with others. Most states have programs to assist families and deaf/hh individuals in getting these communication technologies. It is important for schools to make these technologies available beginning with middle school aged students at the latest.
Access to Classroom Information
Captioning is the most common and widely known accommodation for
audio on movies and other media. It is important to find materials
that are accessible to learners with hearing loss. There are depositories
of captioned, and in some cases signed videotapes, available FREE
for educational and home use.
Captioned Media Products
This is a federal program that provides videotapes through the mail
to anyone associated with deafness. These movies can be used in
schools or in the home. They have thousands of educational and entertainment
videos that can be checked out by users with CMP accounts.
Florida professionals have access to an additional state-wide depository of
captioned and signed videos for use with students who are Deaf or
hard of hearing through the Resource Materials & Technology
Center: Deaf/Hard of Hearing (RMTC) Captioning Services.
In addition to captions, sign language animation and video clips
are becoming more available on software programs and on the Internet.
A company called Vcom3D,
Inc. has developed 3-D characters that can communicate in sign
language. They also have developed software, called Sign Smith Studio,
content publishers can use to make their materials accessible in
animated sign language. Publishers can then have animated interpreters
for their Internet or CD-Based content.
A few companies have created products that use Voice Recognition
technology to translate what someone speaks into both captions (text)
and signs (video-clips). Some of the products with these features include the iCommunicator and the SignTel Interpreter.
More detailed information about captioning, notetaking, and interpreting
as accommodations can be found on the Classroom Accommodations
page. |
