Resources for Individuals who are

Deaf orHard-of-Hearing

Lisa Shigio, Au.D.Audiologist

Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind719-578-2183

lshigio@csdb.org

Technology?

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Times sure have changed…

We are all familiar with hearing aids and cochlear implants

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Why would deaf and hard-of-hearing people need assistive devices?

• My child / students already have hearing aids / cochlear implants

• Isn’t that good enough?

Sometimes yes, sometimes no

• HAs and CIs have to be removed at times

• Sometimes the listening environment is challenging

• People who lose hearing after they have already learned spoken language may need less “assistance” than someone who was born deaf

Speech Banana

Even with

hearing aids or

cochlear

implants, some

of the speech

sounds may be

missing, making

it difficult to

understand what

is being said

Some people choose not to use amplification and

communicate using sign language

What is an assistive device?• Equipment that helps

someone hear better in difficult listening situations

• Devices that help someone who cannot hear to communicate with hearing people

• Apps that help people practice listening, learn ASL, etc.

• Telephone services for deaf or HOH people

• Devices to make life easier, more pleasurable, or safer for deaf or HOH people

• Equipment to help students in the classroom

• others

How can deaf people communicate with hearing people?

TranslatorsHarris Communicationswww.harriscomm.com

Krown Sign Language translator:Enter words using the touch screen keyboard and watch a video clip signed by a live individual.

TranslatorsHarris Communicationswww.harriscomm.com

Interact-AS Instant Transcription and Translation of Conversations Software

deaf and hard of hearing individuals can now directly communicate with people who do not know sign language using their PC laptop, netbook or tablet.

Use cell phone or iPad to write out messages

Ubi Duohttp://www.scomm.com/• Face-to-face real-time communication device• Six pounds• Look like laptops

ASL Interpreters• Sign Language Network –Colorado Springs

www.signlanguagenetwork.com• Rose Interpreting – Denver http://

roseinterpreting.com• Independent Interpreters of Northern Colorado –

Ft. Collins to Denver http://www.aslinterpretercolorado.com/index.html

• 24 hour Sign Language Services (also have video remote interpreting) http://www.24hrsls.com/

Devices to make life easier and more

enjoyable

Listening to iPod, phone, other devices

Geemarc Telecom Clearsound Neck Loop

www.geemarc.com

• Use the t-coilsetting in the hearing aidor CI

Vibrating Watch and Alarm Clock• Watch: the vibration

on your wrist will alert you and not others.

• Alarm Clock: vibrates and/or flashes a light. Can interface w/ phone so don’t sleep through calls

• Can put cell phone on vibrate and put under pillow for alarm clock

Bluetooth Streamers

• Use with bluetooth compatible HAs, CIs, cell phones, MP3 players, iPods, TVs, etc. • Phonak iCom

www.phonak.com

TV Amplifiers

• Infrared wireless earphonesNoisefreeheadphones.com

Amplified TelephonesProductsForTheDeaf.com

Amplified answering machine

clearsounds• clearsounds.com

Doorbell and phone signaler

• Door beacon w/ LED light

Also can get a high intensity doorbell ringer

• Loud ringer light box for phone

Rehabmart.com

TV MessengerGlobal Assistive Devices www.globalassistive.peachhost.com/Home.htm

• Enjoy the convenience of identifying incoming calls on your Television set

Cap-Tel• Captioned telephone• www.captel.com

• WebCapTel lets you view captions on your smart phone, tablet, or computer.

Other Relay Services

• Sorenson• Sprint VRS• AT&T Video Relay• ZVRS• Purple VRS

• others

Sprint VRSwww.sprintrelay.com

• CapTel• Relay service• instant messenger• Relay conference

captioning

Sorenson Communications

• Videophone service• ASL interpreters• Offers free

Sorenson videophone for deaf individuals

• SIP RelayFree text-based relay calls from PC or mobile devicehttp://www.sorenson.com

AT&T Video Relayhttp://relayservices.att.com/

• Captioned Telephone: CapTel is a free phone captioning service for web, mobile and home.

• Instant Messaging: make relay calls from AOL Instant Messenger (AIM)

• Speech to speech relay: STS relay allows consumers with speech loss to communicate over the phone

• TTY: TTY relay is for individuals who prefer to use a TTY device to communicate with a hearing person.

ZVRS http://www.zvrs.com/hom

e• Videophones for desktop or portable

• Free download for Apple mobile device

Purple VRShttp://www.purple.us/

• Video Relay Services (VRS)

• Purple text relay• On-site interpreting• Purple VRI (on-

demand ASL interp over live internet)

• This service is free to their Deaf and hard-of-hearing customers

• For PC, Mac, iPhone, Android

• Purple mail for iPhone and Android

Of course, there’s always Skype

alldeaf.com• Blogs• Deaf community• chat• Calendar of events• FAQs• Products for the

deaf

CAUTION:

Parents should

check it out

before letting

their child get

on this site, as

anyone can

write anything

on it

Events happening in the Deaf community

Colorado Deaf.com

OIC Movieswww.oicmovies.com

News and information in ASL

There are other websites but I will let you do your own web search. I don’t want to get…

International Hearing Dog, Inc.

www.ihdi.org/Home.html

• rescues dogs from animal shelters,

• trains them to assist deaf and HOH people

• places them with recipients throughout the US and Canada

• free of charge.

Family dogs• Some deaf

individuals train the family pet to alert them to environmental sounds in the home

Closed captioned DVDs

• Check amazon.com for a list of captioned DVDs

• Allows you to watch captioned DVDs on your computer

Exercise DVD for Deaf or HOH

Harris Communications

• A colorful light burst flashes to the music's rhythm and changes color to help translate the sound of the music into a visual energy form.

ASL Exercise DVD

Harris Communications

• Exercise DVDs taught in ASL

Devices to make life safer

Smoke alarm & carbon monoxide detectors

• Can be used with flashing lights or vibrator

Baby Cry Signalerlight or vibrator

• Justbecuz.com

Motion Sensor• Can monitor entry,

hallway, or window areas of home for security and peace of mind. Maximum range: 80 feet.

Body worn receiver kitSilentcall.com

• Body-worn receiver alerts the user to doorbell, smoke detector, phone, baby cry, etc.

NOAA Weather RadioSilent Call and Harris Communication

• Provides critical warnings of life threatening events to the deaf and hard of hearing.

• Activate alerting devices such as vibrators, bed shakers, pillow vibrators, strobe lights and other alerting systems.

• receivers can be programmed to set off an alarm for specific events (tornado, flash flood, etc.) www.nws.noaa.gov

Deaf MDwww.deafmd.o

rg

• ASL videos explaining medical information

• Many diseases• Find a deaf-

friendly physician• Understanding

tests

Devices for students in the classroom

FM Systems

Induction loop systems

The student

needs a T-coil

option in their

hearing aid or

cochlear

implant

C.A.R.T.Computer-Assisted Real-TimeTranscription

• instant translation of the spoken word into text (real-time captioning)

• A CART captioner uses a stenographic machine, or laptop computer, to transcribe spoken words. The resulting text is displayed on a computer monitor or projected onto a wall or screen.

Information on C.A.R.T.

• CART and CaptioningFrom Hearing Loss WebWebsite: www.hearinglossweb.com/Issues/Access/Captioning/CART/cart.htm

• Caption FirstCaption First is a provider of CART (Computer Assisted Real-Time Transcription) and captioning services. This website contains a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) that explain the captioning process and use.Website: http://www.captionfirst.com/

• CARTwheelAn organization of CART providers; the site contains assistance links for consumers and CART providers and other resources.Website: http://www.cartwheel.cc/

Practice speaking

VV Talkerhttp://www.yankodesign.com

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Parent shows child how to make sounds and the child imitates

Learn Sign Language

ASL app for iPhone & iPad

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/iasl-translate-english-to/id364176106?mt=8

Learn American Sign Language

Sign Language Websites

• ASL Pro• www.aslpro.com

• Video Dictionary• http://www.signingsavvy.com

• ASLU• http://www.lifeprint.com

• Handspeak• http://www.handspeak.com/

• others

Sign 4 Me• Smart Phone app for learning signed

English• The only app that provides sign language

instruction in 3D• iTues app• http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sign-4-me-

a-signed-english/id312882992?mt=8

Helpful hints

If a hearing person appears uncomfortable trying to

communicate with a person who is deaf/HOH

• Do not yell, use natural voice with gestures

• Do not exaggerate lip movements

• Know it is not intentional

• Try to put the hearing person at ease

• Tell the hearing person to speak directly and naturally to the D/HH person

• Use natural gestures• Writing is often helpful

To get the attention of a deaf person…

• Flash lights• Stomp on floor• Wave hands in

the air• Tap on

shoulder

Desk mirror• Placing

mirrors above desks allows the person to see someone approaching from the rear

What language do pigs speak?Swine language

What language do porcupines speak?Spine language

What language do billboards speak?Sign language!