Access Symbol
Binoculars for the Ears
by David Baquis
Assistive Listening Systems
(ALSs) are sometimes called Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs). Essentially
they are amplifiers that bring sound directly into the ear. They
separate the sounds, particularly speech, that a person wants to
hear from background noise. They improve what is known as the “speech
to noise ratio.”
Why are ALSs Necessary?
Research
indicates that people who are hard of hearing require a volume
(signal to noise ratio) increase of about 15 to 25 dB in order to
achieve the same level of understanding as people with normal hearing.
An ALS allows them to achieve this gain for themselves without making
it too loud for everyone else.
Can ALSs be Used by Some People
who are Deaf?
YES! ALSs are used by people
with all degrees of hearing loss, from mild to profound. This includes
hearing aid users and cochlear implantees, as well as consumers who
do not use either hearing aids or cochlear implants. Although obtaining
a hearing aid or cochlear implant is probably the most important
thing a person can do to cope with hearing loss, these hearing
instruments have performance limitations and do not work well in
all situations. ALDs are sometimes described as “binoculars
for the ears” because they “stretch” hearing
aids and cochlear implants, thus extending their reach and increasing
their effectiveness. ![]()
Excerpted from “Benefits
of Assistive Listening Systems,” by
David Baquis, www.nad.org
Reprinted with permission
of the National Association of the Deaf, www.nad.org
For more information about the various access symbols, or to download
electronic TIFF copies, please visit the Graphic Artists Guild at
www.gag.org/resources/das.php
For more information about the various
access symbols, or to download electronic TIFF copies, please visit
the Graphic Artists Guild at www.gag.org/resources/das.php
