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“Get in the Hearing Loop” Campaign

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 25, 2010

CONTACTS:

Brenda Battat, MA Executive Director

Hearing Loss Association of America

Patricia B. Kricos, Ph.D. President-Elect

American Academy of Audiology

“Get in the Hearing Loop” Campaign Promotes Doubling Functionality of Hearing Aids

The American Academy of Audiology, on behalf of audiologists, and the Hearing Loss Association of America, on behalf of people with hearing loss announce a collaborative public education campaign, “Get in the Hearing Loop.”

“Get in the Hearing Loop” is a campaign to enlighten and excite hearing aid users, as well as audiologists and other professionals who dispense hearing aids, about telecoils and hearing loops and their unique benefits. Hearing loops transmit the audio from a PA system directly to telecoil-equipped hearing aids and cochlear implants. The telecoil functions as an antenna, relaying sounds directly into the ear without background noise just like Wi-Fi connects people to the Web.

Hearing aids can easily and affordably become wireless receivers for use with telephones and hearing assistive listening systems – hearing loops and neckloops – by adding a telecoil option to the aid. Sixty-nine percent of all hearing aids dispensed in the U.S. today have telecoils. Yet far too few consumers and hearing professionals know about or use them.

Pat Kricos, Ph.D., president-elect of the Academy, enthusiastically agreed to join the HLAA in this endeavor, stating, “Thanks to the passionate ground-breaking work carried on by HLAA member David Myers, Ph.D., in his Let’s Loop America advocacy endeavor, there have been steady increases in accessibility for individuals with hearing loss. However, we still have a long road ahead of us before people with hearing loss can expect to hear in public areas via hearing loop technology. This collaborative awareness campaign by HLAA and the Academy will ensure that both consumers and audiologists will become fully aware of the remarkable benefits of telecoils and hearing loops.” HLAA Executive Director Brenda Battat comments, “Though HLAA and the Academy have worked together on advocacy issues for many years, this is the first time they have worked together on an educational campaign. My feeling was that educating consumers about telecoils and assistive listening systems would not be effective if the hearing professionals were not on board. It was important to get their buy-in. This is a way to address it from both sides and have a greater impact.”

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hearing loops can profoundly affect people who use hearing aids,” explains Juliëtte Sterkens, Au.D., audiologist and committee member of the “Get in the Hearing Loop” campaign. I want to help bring this news to every hearing aid user in the country and help make my audiology colleagues aware of an opportunity we are missing to help our clients get more from their hearing aids.”

The campaign will culminate in the Second International Hearing Loop Conference to coincide with the HLAA annual convention in Washington, D.C., June 16 – 19, 2011. The first International Hearing Loop Conference was organized by the European Association of Hard of Hearing People in Winterthur, Switzerland in September 2009.

About the American Academy of Audiology

The American Academy of Audiology is the world's largest professional organization of, by, and for audiologists. The active membership of more than 11,000 is dedicated to providing quality hearing care services through professional development, education, research, and increased public

awareness of hearing and balance disorders. The Academy promotes quality hearing and balance care by advancing the profession of audiology through leadership, advocacy, education, public awareness, and support of research. Further information about the Academy can be found at

About the Hearing Loss Association of America

The Hearing Loss Association of America® (HLAA), founded in 1979, opens the world of

communication to people with hearing loss through information, education, advocacy and support.

HLAA publishes the bimonthly Hearing Loss Magazine, holds

and more. Information can be found a

located at 7910 Woodmont Avenue, Suite 1200, Bethesda, MD 20814. Phone: 301.657.2248. HLAA has chapters and state organizations across the country.

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The Nation’s Voice for People with Hearing Loss  www.hearingloss.org   7910 Woodmont Avenue Suite 1200 Bethesda, MD 20814

So

 

You

 

Want

 

To

 

Get

 

In

 

The

 

Hearing

 

Loop.

 

Here’s

 

how

 

to

 

make

 

it

 

happen

 

in

 

your

 

community

 

 

The need for readily available assistive listening systems and devices in day to day living for people  with hearing loss is one of the driving forces behind the Get in the Hearing Loop campaign. 

Listening devices that connect easily and unobtrusively are most likely to be used. Induction hearing  loop systems do just that. If you’d like to help encourage the installation and use of more hearing  induction loop systems, you’ve come to the right place.  

 

Getting Started  

Advocates start with a stated need. But advocates don’t get anywhere until they understand how to  move the ball forward. If you want to succeed, you need a plan.  

 

Do your homework!  

Understand the facts. You know the need for more hearing induction loops. Your family  knows the need. But people who have never come across loops before will have no idea  why you would want to spend money on an invisible solution to an invisible problem. To  help convince others of the need:  

 

o Use various types of loops yourself. If you haven’t tried them, it’s difficult to explain to  others. And find opportunities for others to try them out as well.  

 

o Have a basic understanding how loop systems work, how the telecoil works and what  the benefits and limitations of induction loop systems are. Do some research on line to  familiarize yourself with the technology. Here are two websites with information on  telecoils:     http://www.hearingloss.org  http://www.audiology.org/resources/consumer/Documents/20101021_Telecoil_fac tSheet.pdf   

o If you are still uncomfortable with tech talk, recruit someone who can speak that  language.  

o Estimates indicate 10 to 15 percent of your community’s population has some degree of  hearing loss. A substantial portion of them could benefit from the use of hearing loop  technology.  

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o Familiarize yourself with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) that  apply to the requirement for assistive listening systems in various publicly accessible  facilities. A good discussion of this topic can be found at:  

 

http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/extension/files/download/Assistive_Tech.pdf 

 

o Include human interest stories. Knowing how many people are impacted is one thing;  making it concrete with personal stories will ensure your audience remembers it. We  know of an aunt in a nursing home whose eyes lit up when she finally heard through the  loop; the father who didn’t get the jokes until he heard them through a loop; the 

grandmother who was able to hear her granddaughter’s wedding ceremony after a loop  was installed in the sanctuary. If you know a real‐life example of success using a hearing  loop, tell that story. Your story will likely hit home more readily than numbers alone can  convey.  

 

o In its 2009/2010 reviews of hearing aid models, the Hearing Review Products reported  that 127 (60%) of 212 hearing aid models—including all 38 in‐the‐ear models and 29 of  30 conventional behind‐the‐ear models—come with telecoils. All three manufactures of  cochlear implants provide for programming for telecoils. Include this or more recent  data, as available, on how many people wear hearing aids or cochlear implants with  telecoils.  

 

o Know the alternatives to loop systems and be able to explain why the loop would be  best for a particular place. For information on other assistive technology: 

http://www.hearingloss.org 

   

Prepare an “elevator speech.” An elevator speech is an introduction to the subject in the time it  takes to meet someone in an elevator: a very short speech. You will best convince others to  install loops if you have marshaled the facts, and can present them in a concise, coherent  manner. Prepare a short speech that has the salient points. Practice it so it flows smoothly.    

 

• Prepare handouts or use Get in the Hearing Loop brochures (available from HLAA or the  Academy) to leave behind at meetings.  

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The Nation’s Voice for People with Hearing Loss  www.hearingloss.org   7910 Woodmont Avenue Suite 1200 Bethesda, MD 20814

Building Momentum  

Create a Coalition  

It’s possible for one person to make change happen, but it’s more effective – and more fun ‐ to  bring in people to help you get there.  

 

• Find groups to champion the project locally and meet regularly:    

o Get in the Hearing Loop Campaign members – HLAA Chapters and Academy members  as well as Sertoma and Lions clubs have national and local programs supporting hearing  loss initiatives.  

 

o Representatives from the State Office of Deaf & Hard of Hearing    

o Representatives of other organizations of and for people with hearing loss    

o Non‐profit organizations working with people with hearing loss    

o Electrical engineers or other tech advisors    

o Kiwanis, Rotary, Business and Professional Woman and other civic groups    

Work with professionals    

Find and work with hearing induction loop installers (often an audio/visual firm) in your  area that have a solid reputation and who adhere to international technical standards for  loop installation. While consumers can advocate for access, when it’s time to install a loop  system, you will need to be able to turn to reputable installers who can talk about such  details as cost and time to install a loop system.  

 

If you cannot locate a firm with loop expertise, encourage one or more A/V firms to include  loop technology as part of their menu of services and technology available.  

 

Reach out to the community    

• Strategize a campaign: target doable, visible projects in the community.    

• A good place to start is with houses of worship, particularly if you know and can work with  members of the congregation with hearing loss.  

 

• Other possible projects are public auditoriums, library meeting rooms, and community or  senior centers.  

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• Work with audiologists, dispensers, doctors, and hospitals willing to loop their own waiting  rooms.  

 

• Once a venue is looped, you can turn to these people who use the loop for testimony to its  effectiveness.  

 

• Make presentations to civic organizations: Lions Clubs, Rotary, Kiwanis, Church groups, or  senior centers ‐ use the Get in the Loop Power Point presentation.  

 

• Write letters to the editor, or Dear Abby or Heloise.    

• Cultivate media contacts who will run human interest stories on successful installation and  the reaction of people with hearing loss who use the facility.  

 

• Set up a website to publicize your efforts; use Facebook, Twitter and Blogs.    

• Check with city/county officials about distributing brochures and information about your  campaign at libraries, community and senior centers and at community events.  

 

• Work with advisory boards for hearing aid dispensers and/or push for legislation to require  the dispensing of hearing aids with telecoils.  

 

Celebrate Success!    

• Make sure every member of your team gets credit for the work hard work, and a party to  celebrate!  

 

• Make the inauguration of a loop system a public event to garner more visibility. Don’t forget  to publicly thank your team, and all the people who made it happen.  

 

• Success breeds success: use your success to invite more people to the table to help get  loops installed in other places  

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The Nation’s Voice for People with Hearing Loss

A Baker’s Dozen Frequently Asked Questions about Hearing Loops

1. How many Americans live with hearing loss?

According to the

“approximately 17 percent (36 million) of American adults report some degree of hearing loss.” Unlike those challenged by mobility or vision loss, people challenged by hearing loss are often an invisible and forgotten minority. About 1 in 4—som—have hearing aids, a number that would surely increase if hearing aids could double as wireless, customized loudspeakers.

2. Why are hearing loops needed? Don’t hearing aids enable hearing?

Today’s digital hearing aids effectively enhance hearing in conversational settings. Yet for many people with hearing loss the sound becomes unclear when auditorium or TV

loudspeakers are at a distance, when the context is noisy, or when room acoustics reverberate sound. A hearing loop magnetically transfers the microphone or TV sound signal to hearing aids and cochlear implants with a tiny, inexpensive “telecoil” receiver. This transforms the instruments into in-the-ear loudspeakers that deliver sound customized for one’s own hearing loss.

3. How many hearing aids have the telecoil (t-coil) receptor for receiving hearing loop input? From its survey of hearing professionals, the Hearing Review (April, 2008) reported that “Respondents said that 62% of their fittings included a telecoil, [an] increase . . . from 37% in 2001.” In its 2009 reviews of hearing aid models, the Hearing Review Products showed that most hearing aids—including all 35 in-the-ear models—now come with telecoils. Moreover, the greater people’s need for hearing assistance, the more likely they are to have hearing aids with telecoils—as did 84 percent of Hearing Loss Association of America members in one survey. New model cochlear implants also are available with telecoils. 4. Can hearing loops serve those without telecoils or without hearing aids?

Yes, all forms of assistive listening, including hearing loops, come with portable receivers and headsets (though most such units sit in closets unused.)

5. What does a hearing loop cost?

Costs range from $100 to $300 for self-installed home TV room loops up to several thousand dollars for professional installation in an average-sized auditorium or worship space. Most churches can install a hearing loop for little or no more than the cost of one pair of high end hearing aids, though a large facility with embedded metal will be more expensive.

Auditorium installations cost somewhat more than do assistive listening systems that require checking out a receiver and headset. But the cost per user is typically less (because many more people will use assistive listening that is hearing aid compatible). Moreover, hearing loops offer long-term savings from purchasing and maintaining batteries in fewer portable listening units. For the user, the telecoil cost is nominal and typically does not add to the hearing aid price.

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6. Hearing loops harness magnetic energy. So is magnetic interference problematic? Generally not. Old (nonflat) computer monitors, old fluorescent lighting, and some old dimmer switches generate interference, as do some cars and all airplanes. But the experience in hundreds of West Michigan venues and thousands of Scandinavian and British venues is that interference-free installation is nearly always possible.

7. Isn’t this a decades-old technology?

Like electronic computers, magnetic induction loop technology began more than a half century ago, and now is in newly developed forms (with new amplifier and telecoil technologies, and new computer-modeled designs for complex installations) and with increasing applications.

8. Don’t newer connective technologies work better?

New wireless technologies, including Bluetooth, do some helpful things, such as enable binaural phone listening. But Bluetooth isn’t an assistive listening answer (it requires significant battery power and has limited range). An alternative future assistive listening solution—one that, like hearing loops, is hearing aid compatible—will need similarly to a) be inexpensive (essentially no cost to the consumer), b) be capable of covering a wide area, c) drain little battery power (telecoils require no power), d) be universally accessible, and e) be sufficiently miniaturized that the receiver can fit in nearly all hearing aids.

9. Can hearing loops be used in adjacent rooms?

Yes, with a professional design that controls sound spillover.

10.Are there advantages to using hearing loops for home TV listening and in public settings? A hearing aid compatible loop system delivers sound that’s customized by one’s hearing aids for one’s own ears. It requires no fuss with extra equipment. And rather than plugging one’s ears, it allows use of a mic + telecoil (M/T) setting, enabling one to hear the room

conversation or one’s phone ringing. In public settings, their main advantage is that, when not hearing well, people need only activate their telecoils. There’s no need to get up, seek out, and wear conspicuous equipment (which few people with hearing loss take the initiative to do). Additionally, the sound is contained in one’s ear, without bothering others nearby. There is no need to juggle between headsets and hearing aids (during, say, a worship

service). And there are no hygienic concerns about putting in or on one’s ear what has been around others’ ears.

11.Can hearing loops work in transient venues such as airports, at ticket windows, or at drive-up order stations?

Indeed, which is why New York City Transit Authority is installing hearing loops at 488 subway information booths. In such venues, where checkout equipment is not realistic, the only possible assistive listening device is one’s own hearing aid or cochlear implant.

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The Nation’s Voice for People with Hearing Loss

12. Aren’t Britain’s thousands of loop systems in transient venues sometimes not working?

The Royal National Institute for Deaf People did find that a number of the loops in shops and other transient venues were not working. Their response was not to discount hearing

assistance in such venues, but rather to undertake an awareness campaign to see that the devices are turned on and operating, much as wheelchair ramps need to be kept open. (See

a.) Anyassistive listening will not work unless turned on. When properly

installed and periodically checked, hearing loops require little or no maintenance to work reliably.

13.Who makes hearing loops and where can they be purchased?

A variety of established European and mostly new American manufacturers are designing and marketing hearing loop amplifiers for a wide variety of installations, from home TV rooms to taxi back seats and ticket windows to cathedrals. See

dgm, 2/10 i http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/statistics/quick.htm ii h ttp://www.hearingreview.com/issues/articles/2009-10_01.asp iii http://www.rnid.org.uk/howyoucanhelp/join_rnid/_member_community/yoursay/soundbites/loop_problems.htm iv h ttp://www.rnid.org.uk/VirtualContent/97876/3319_B_P_Loop.pdf

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and you can connect

directly to sound

Telecoils, when used in

conjunction with a hearing

loop, will double the

functionality of your hearing

aids and turn them into your

own personal assistive

listening system.

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Take advantage of

easy-to-use technology to get back

into the hearing loop.

I was amazed to find out how much easier it was for me to hear

with these simple tools. Why didn’t someone tell me about these before? Now I don’t

have to feel left out at family gatherings or with my friends.

Now I don’t blast friends

Do You Need

Help Hearing?

Assistive Listening Devices

Might Be the Key to Better

Understanding for You

available to people with hearing loss. The project is a collaborative public awareness campaign developed by the Hearing Loss Associa-tion of America (HLAA) and the American Academy of Audiology.

Resource for People with Hearing Loss The Hearing Loss Association of America is the nation’s leading advocacy organization for the 36 million Amer-icans with hearing loss. HLAA publishes Hearing Loss Magazine, holds annual conventions, produces the na-tional Walk4HearingTM, hosts online learning with the

Hearing Loss Academy, holds monthly webinars, and advocates for the rights of people with hearing loss. HLAA has an extensive network of chapter and state organizations across the United States.

7910 Woodmont Avenue, Suite 1200 Bethesda, MD 20814

301.657.2248

www.hearingloss.org

Useful Links

www.HowsYourHearing.org

American Academy of Audiology To find an audiologist in your area

www.hearingloop.org

Nonprofit informational website on hearing loops

www.eeoc.gov/facts/accommodation.html

Reasonable accommodation

www.ada.gov/reachingout/t3regl2.html

Auxiliary aids and services This brochure was sponsored by The David and Carol Myers Foundation and The Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation.

HLAA Chapter Information

If meeting information has not been provided below, go to www.hearingloss.org for a chapter near you.

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Tips

If you are new to using a telecoil, be sure to check with your audiologist or hearing instrument specialist to ensure that the settings on it are maximized for use with assistive listening devices.

Find other users through a Hearing Loss Association of America Chapter in your area.

Access to public places for individuals with disabilities

is required by the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you

think an assistive listening device would benefit you

on the job or in your classroom, you should

find out the process from that institution for requesting a reasonable accommodation (in private settings) or for auxiliary aids and services (in public settings).

Advocate for assistive listening devices at places you regularly attend (e.g., place of worship, classroom, community center). Encourage the

The telecoil, a small copper wire, is located inside the hearing aid.

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Have you ever had difficulty hearing or understanding: • in meetings? • in places of worship? • in theaters or movies? • in restaurants?

• with shopping transactions like at a pharmacy or bank?

• in public places such as airports or in municipal buildings?

In those situations, an assistive listening device can help.

What is an Assistive Listening Device?

Assistive listening devices (ALDs) expand the functionality of hearing aids and cochlear im-plants by helping you separate the sounds you want to hear from background noise, and by enabling you to hear when the speaker is more than a few feet away.

The speaker talks into a microphone and the speech is sent straight to your ear, thus avoiding the degrading effects of noise and distance on speech intelligibility. It’s really that simple. An assistive listening device consists of a microphone to collect sound, a transmitter to send the signal across a distance, a receiver to intercept the signal, and any one of several different listening attachments to send the sound from the receiver to the user’s ear, hearing aid, or cochlear implant.

When Hearing Aids or Cochlear Implants Aren’t Enough

Hearing aids and cochlear implants can work wonders to improve speech understanding. Still, there are some situations that may be problematic such as listening in groups, hearing in noisy

back-Getinthe

HearingLoop

A Joint Project of the Hearing Loss Association of America and the American Academy of Audiology grounds, hearing a speaker who is more than a few

feet away, and hearing in poor acoustical environ-ments. In these situations, turning up the volume can result in turning up the background noise that you don’t want to hear.

What Can I Do to Hear Better in Noise?

One of the simplest ways is to use a personal amplifier. It is a single unit with jacks for a micro-phone and a listening attachment, and a volume control. These can come in handy when you are close to the speaker to cut out background noise, such as in a car or a restaurant.

There are also ways to hear better when the speaker is more than a few feet away. FM, infrared, and induction or hearing loop systems use radio waves, light waves, or magnetic fields respectively to transmit the sound you want to hear from a speaker some distance from your receiver (for ex-ample, from a teacher at the front of a room to the student sitting in class). You turn up the volume to a comfortable level for you. Each of these systems has options for small, personal/home use or large-area amplification, like in a theater or auditorium.

Are There Any Options Built into Hearing Aids?

There are options that are integrated into many behind-the-ear hearing aids and cochlear im-plants. These systems come with a separate microphone that you can give to the speaker and the sound will be sent directly to your hearing aid or cochlear implant. These are convenient but are more expensive than purchasing separate units.

What About BluetoothTM Devices? More hearing aids are equipped to allow for gateway devices that enable digital audio stream-ing from Bluetooth devices to the hearstream-ing aid or cochlear implant. If you enjoy Bluetooth-enabled audio devices, such as cell phones, TVs, or com-puters, you will probably want to check this out.

Do I Have to Wear Headphones?

Not necessarily. If your hearing aid or cochlear implant has a telecoil, you will be able to use a neckloop plugged into the headphone jack. A telecoil (or t-coil) is a small, inexpensive copper coil in most hearing aids and is built into newer cochlear implant processors. The neckloop is an insulated loop of wire worn around the neck that transmits the information to the hearing aid telecoil through a magnetic field. Many people enjoy using neckloops because they can listen with both ears without wearing headphones while still enjoying the full benefit of their hearing aid amplification settings.

There is an additional benefit of telecoils. If you are using an induction loop system, the only receiver you will need is your telecoil in your hearing aid or cochlear implant. An induction or hearing loop system gives off a magnetic field, eliminating the need for any receiver other than your telecoil. Using a telecoil and hearing loop together is seamless, cost-effective, unobtrusive, and wireless. You don’t have to obtain extra equipment.

If you don’t use hearing aids or cochlear im-plants, you can use these ALDs with headphones or earbuds. Even if you use hearing aids you may be able to use headphones or earbuds. However, you may prefer to take the hearing aids out when using headphones because of feedback problems.

Assistive Listening Devices:

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difference in your ability to hear clearly and understand dialog.

A telecoil can make a dramatic difference in your ability to hear clearly

and understand dialogue. Even with today’s technology, the best hearing aids and cochlear implants

can’t separate the sounds you want to hear from background noise, or pick up

all the sounds coming from a distant source like a stage or movie screen.

With a telecoil you can expand the functionality of your hearing aid or cochlear implant. A telecoil in a hearing

The Telecoil

Connecting Directly to Sound

available to people with hearing loss. The project is a collaborative public awareness campaign developed by the Hearing Loss Associa-tion of America (HLAA) and the American Academy of Audiology.

Resource for People with Hearing Loss

The Hearing Loss Association of America is the nation’s leading advocacy organization for the 36 million Amer-icans with hearing loss. HLAA publishes Hearing Loss Magazine, holds annual conventions, produces the na-tional Walk4HearingTM, hosts online learning with the

Hearing Loss Academy, holds monthly webinars, and advocates for the rights of people with hearing loss. HLAA has more than 200 chapters and 14 state orga-nizations.

7910 Woodmont Avenue, Suite 1200 Bethesda, MD 20814

301.657.2248

www.hearingloss.org

Useful Links

www.HowsYourHearing.org

American Academy of Audiology To find an audiologist in your area

www.hearingloop.org

Nonprofit informational website on hearing loops This brochure was sponsored by The David and Carol Myers Foundation and The Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation.

HLAA Chapter Information

If meeting information has not been provided below, go to www.hearingloss.org for a chapter near you.

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The telecoil, a small copper wire,

is located inside

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What is a telecoil?

A telecoil is a small copper coil that is an op-tion on most hearing aids and is built into cochlear implant processors. They are also known as t-coils and were originally used to boost the magnetic signals from the tele-phone handset. The telecoil is activated by a t-switch on the hearing aid or cochlear im-plant. All landline and some cell phones are designed by law to be used with a telecoil. The telecoil can make a noticeable difference in your life when you combine it with hear-ing assistive technology. This pairhear-ing of tech-nology bridges the physical space between you and the sound source. Hearing assistive technology connects the listener directly to the sound source while most background noise is eliminated.

When would you use a telecoil?

Increasing the volume on your hearing aid or cochlear implant won’t necessarily increase the clarity of what you hear. Hearing assis-tive technology combined with a telecoil can improve your understanding of dialogue at work, in a meeting, in the classroom, the-aters, places of worship, tour buses, and oth-er places. Some people use telecoils at home with the TV while keeping the TV volume low for the comfort of others.

Many public places are equipped with hear-ing assistive technology. With the implemen-tation of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, hearing assistive technology is in-creasingly available in public places.

What is Hearing Assistive Technology? (HAT)

There are three types of wireless hearing assistive technology discussed here:

The hearing loop is a wire that circles a room and is connected to the sound system.

The loop transmits the sound electromag-netically. The electromagnetic signal is then picked up by the telecoil in the hearing aid or cochlear implant. To use a hearing loop, one easily flips the t-switch on the hearing aid or cochlear implant. No additional receiver or equipment is needed. Using a telecoil and hearing loop together is seamless, cost-effec-tive, unobtrusive, and you don’t have to seek out and obtain special equipment.

An infrared system uses invisible light beams to carry sound from the source to a personal receiver. (The sound source must be in the line of sight.) Different types of attachments may be connected to the personal receiver such as a neckloop or a behind-the-ear sil-houette inductor. The telecoil then picks up sound from the receiver via the attachment. An FM system works similarly, but sound is conveyed though radio waves to a personal receiver.

What other uses are there for telecoils?

Telecoils can improve hearing on hearing-aid-compatible phones and can be used with neckloops to replace headphones. A neckloop is similar to a hearing loop, except that it is worn around the neck and can be plugged into other audio devices (such as an MP3 player, computer, or FM or infrared re-ceivers) to transmit the audio signal directly to the hearing aid telecoil, bypassing the need for headphones.

How do you get a telecoil? Are they expensive?

Ask for a telecoil when you buy your hear-ing aids. A telecoil may add a small amount to the cost of your hearing aid but the bene- fits far outweigh the cost. Ask your audiolo-gist or hearing instrument specialist to in-clude a telecoil in your hearing aid and ask

for advice on how to use it. Many models and styles of hearing aids and all cochlear implants can be fitted with telecoils. Tele-coils can sometimes be added to your cur-rent hearing aid but it will cost less if you include it in your original purchase.

Purchasing a Hearing Aid

Don’t assume that your hearing aid will auto-matically come with a telecoil or that it will be recommended. Or, if a telecoil is present, don’t assume it has been programmed to suit your individual needs. Today, approximately 65 percent of all hearing aids dispensed in the United States have telecoils. Yet, few con-sumers are told about them and know how to use them.

Use the Consumer Checklist published by the Hearing Loss Association of America when purchasing a hearing aid (available on

www.hearingloss.org or in hard copy). This checklist includes asking about telecoils. Some states have laws that require audiolo-gists and hearing instrument specialists to tell consumers about telecoils when purchas-ing hearpurchas-ing aids (as of January 2009, Arizo-na, Florida, and New York).

Note: Automatic telecoils are available but work only with telephones, not hearing loops, so ask your audiologist or hearing instrument specialist to include a manually-operated telecoil in your hearing aid and ask for advice on how to use it.

Getinthe

HearingLoop

A Joint Project of the Hearing Loss Association of America and the American Academy of Audiology

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(18)

   

 

 

The Nation’s Voice for People with Hearing Loss 

www.hearingloss.org   7910 Woodmont Avenue Suite 1200 Bethesda, MD 20814

 

Table

 

of

 

Contents

 

  Foreword ... 1  Introduction ... 3  Methodology ... 4 

Overview of Educational Sessions    Sunday, June 19      Getting into the Hearing Loop ... 5 

    Providing Effective Communication Access ... 5 

    Understanding and Addressing Causes of Environmental Interference      with Telecoils ... 6 

    Hearing Loops: The Basics ... 6 

    Telecoil Panel ... 6 

    Providing Great Sound for People Who Are Hard of Hearing: Optimizing        the Audio for Assistive Listening Technology and Loudspeakers ... 8 

    Dispensing Professionals Panel ... 8 

    Beyond the Basics: Complex and Creative Loops and Other Issues ... 8 

    Questions and Answers (Advanced Issues) ... 9 

    A Systematic Approach to Evaluating and/or Validating Loop Systems ... 9 

    Monday, June 20      The Technology Landscape for Loop Systems: Current and Future ... 9 

    Industry Panel ... 10 

    Consumer Advocacy Around the World: Status of Hearing Loop Installations      in Different Countries ... 10 

  Strategies for Success: Leveraging Change ... 11 

  Closing Session ... 12 

(19)

 

Appendix A – Standards and Links ... 16 

Appendix B – Specific Recommendations for the Future ... 17 

Appendix C – Directory of Presenters    Andersson, Conny ... 19    Bakke, Matthew ... 19    Battat, Brenda ... 19    Beck, Doug ... 19    Billin, Todd ... 20    Duarte, Joseph ... 20    Edworthy, Doug ... 20    Ellingsen, Knut ... 20    Franzen, Jeff ... 21    Galster, Jason ... 21    Hakanson, Johan ... 21    Hamlin, Lise ... 21    Hollands, Ken ... 21    Ingebrigtsen, Paul ... 21    Jankowski, Andy ... 22    Karg, Siegfried ... 22 

  Kozma‐Spytek, Linda ... 22 

  Kricos, Patricia ... 22    Langner, Mike ... 23    McAuley, Emma ... 23    McKinley, Richard ... 23    Mulvany, Dana ... 23    Murphy, Steven ... 24    Myers, David ... 24    Pieters, Julian ... 24    Sterkens, Juliëtte ... 24    Taylor Brian ... 24    Tibbs, Daniel ... 25    Warick, Ruth ... 25    Woodgate, John ... 25 

(20)

   

 

  The Nation’s Voice for People with Hearing Loss 

www.hearingloss.org   7910 Woodmont Avenue Suite 1200 Bethesda, MD 20814

2nd International Hearing Loop Conference 

June 18‐20, 2011 

Crystal City at Reagan National Airport 

Brenda Battat, Executive Director, HLAA 

Foreword 

 

While attending the First International Hearing Loop Conference in Winterthur, in 2009, a lovely 

town just outside Zurich in Switzerland, I decided that if there were to be a second conference it 

was going to be in the United States; and the Hearing Loss Association of America was the logical 

organization to host it.   

My other conviction was that we had to get the audiology profession on board otherwise we would 

not achieve our goal of expanding the use of telecoils and hearing loops. Timing and opportunity 

were on our side. The president‐elect of the American Academy of Audiology (Academy) happened 

to be Patricia Kricos, Ph.D., a strong advocate of telecoils and looping. She also is someone who 

truly understands consumer issues. Dr. Kricos agreed to make this her platform for her tenure as 

president. Thus, “Get in the Hearing Loop” became a combined project of HLAA and the Academy.   

We were both further motivated by the gracious and persistent advocacy of Dr. David Myers, a 

professor of psychology at Hope College in Holland, Michigan, who was converted to hearing loops 

after his experience using them in Europe. His personal goal was and is to “Loop America.”   

HLAA constituents are avid users of technology of all kinds and especially telecoils. In 2007, an HLAA 

survey showed that 80 percent of HLAA members stated that they have telecoils in their hearing 

aids, which was considerably more than the national average of 33 percent at that time. For years 

HLAA has advocated for hearing aid compatibility with phones – the ability to use phones together 

with a hearing aid or cochlear implant without the need for attachments or other devices.  

Extending that philosophy to assistive listening systems was a natural and another reason for us to 

spread the word about hearing loop technology as it is an example of hearing aid compatible 

assistive listening systems.   

A maxim of our organization is that we don’t do anything unless we can guarantee full hearing 

access: no video on our website is allowed without captions, all our convention events are fully 

accessible through captioning, assistive listening systems and interpreting; and our monthly 

webinars are captioned.    

We carry full communication access through in our national office where 30 percent of our 

employees have hearing loss. Many of our volunteers also have hearing loss, and according to the 

HLAA bylaws, two‐thirds of the national Board of Trustees must have a hearing loss. Our conference 

room has a hearing loop installed for board and staff meetings. Employees and volunteers are 

provided with whatever type of telephone they need to work productively and we arrange for 

teleconference meetings to be captioned. For safety we have visual fire alarms installed in our 

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installed loops to ensure that attendees at their monthly meetings can understand the speakers.    

Assistive technology and telecoils are in our members’ DNA. We know the benefits first hand and 

want that to be imparted to other hearing aid and cochlear implant users. However, there are 

issues such as programming and orientation of telecoils and installation and standards of hearing 

loops. That is why the conference was so valuable to raise these issues and make recommendations 

for future improvements.   

Our goal was to make the conference truly international to share experiences and learn from one 

another – especially from those in Europe where hearing loops are more prevalent than here in the 

United States. To make it easier for people to travel to the conference from afar, we kept it affordable. 

That was made possible by a generous grant from the David and Carol Myers Foundation and The 

Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation. We were delighted to have representation finally from eleven 

countries and exceeded our prediction of the number of attendees by more than 100.     

Another goal was to have high‐quality presentations by experts in the field from all over the world. 

To capture this for those unable to attend we videotaped the sessions that are now available for all 

to see on our website, www.hearingloss.org. During the coffee breaks, conference attendees were 

able to browse the seven companies that exhibited their products and services.   

The conference was rounded out with some fun events – the award‐winning comedy troupe, The  Capitol Steps, a Washington tradition, performed at the opening welcome banquet – looped of 

course, and captioned so that everyone could get the punch lines. There was also a Spirit of 

Washington cruise on the Potomac River to give our international and out‐of‐town attendees a view 

of how beautiful Washington and its illuminated monuments look at night from the water. For 

those who came early to take advantage of the overlap of the Loop Conference with the annual 

HLAA Convention there was a memorable performance of Wicked at the Kennedy Center for the 

Performing Arts that was fitted with a hearing loop and Infrared systems, captioning, and sign 

language interpretation.   

Thanks to the companies that looped the facilities as in‐kind donations, to the presenters who took 

time to make this a truly outstanding conference, to all the attendees who came from near and far 

and to the family foundations who sponsored the conference and enabled it to happen. 

 

Brenda Battat 

Executive Director 

Hearing Loss Association of America 

7910 Woodmont Avenue, Suite 1200 

Bethesda, MD 20814 

battat@hearingloss.org 

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  The Nation’s Voice for People with Hearing Loss 

www.hearingloss.org   7910 Woodmont Avenue Suite 1200 Bethesda, MD 20814  

2nd International Hearing Loop Conference 

Crystal City, Virginia  June 18‐20, 2011 

Dana Mulvany, MSW, Consultant 

 

Introduction   

The 2nd International Hearing Loop Conference was co‐hosted by the Hearing Loss Association 

of America (HLAA) and the American Academy of Audiology (Academy) in Crystal City, Virginia, 

from June 18 through June 20, 2011.    

The conference was a culmination of the year‐long “Get in the Hearing Loop” campaign 

spearheaded by HLAA and the Academy. The event offered an international, highly public 

platform “to enlighten and excite consumers, as well as audiologists and other professionals 

who dispense hearing aids or provide services to individuals with cochlear implants, about 

telecoils and hearing loops and their unique benefits.”1   

The conference was noteworthy in many ways: 

 The first joint conference co‐hosted by a national organization of consumers with hearing 

loss and a national organization of audiologists 

 A comprehensive overview of systemic issues affecting the status quo of hearing loops 

(audio induction loop systems, or audio‐frequency induction loop systems) 

 In‐depth information about telecoils, magnetic interference (aka EMI), and audio  

 Free online resources, including captioned videos of many sessions along with synchronized 

presentations 

 The first international loop conference to provide CEUs from the American Speech‐

Language‐Hearing Association (ASHA) and the Academy for audiologists 

 Held in conjunction with the HLAA Convention, which tapped into a large base of HLAA 

attendees and also attracted more international attendees 

 Sound files were used in several presentations to illustrate the acoustic effects of 

interference, noise, good and poor audio practices, and the international standard for loop 

systems 

This white paper was commissioned to communicate how the educational program for the 

conference was developed, to provide an overview of the educational sessions, and to 

communicate recommendations for the future.  

      

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Methodology   

The following actions were taken in preparation for developing the program and recruiting 

speakers: 

 HLAA publicized the Call for Papers through www.hearingloss.org, Hearing Loss Magazine

and email alerts.  

 The consultant hired to develop the program emailed English‐speaking attendees from the 

first international conference and solicited their feedback about the first conference and 

recommendations for the second conference. The input received provided valuable 

direction for the conference. 

 The consultant reviewed available information about the first conference, including CART 

files, and sought out additional information about telecoils and loop systems 

 A letter was developed for and signed by HLAA and the Academy which was sent to hearing 

aid manufacturers to invite them to participate in the conference and the telecoil panel  

 The HLAA executive director directly invited several experts to speak at the conference 

 The International Federation of Hard of Hearing People (IFHOH) and the European 

Federation of Hard of Hearing People (EFHOH) cooperated in publicizing the loop 

conference to encourage international attendees to submit proposals for the conference 

 After receiving proposals for workshops in early December 2010, the consultant and the 

HLAA executive director decided to recruit and develop additional sessions and panels with 

the following goals in mind: 

 Broader international representation 

 Follow‐through on promised topics 

 Education about problem areas, such as magnetic interference (aka EMI) and audio 

 How to provide effective communication access for all people with hearing loss 

 Representation and involvement of different stakeholder groups 

 Developing and improving strategic efforts for improvement 

 Recommended experts 

The program for the conference was developed in a sequential order to strengthen the 

audience’s understanding of basic issues, thereby laying the foundation to understand more 

advanced topics. Early presentations sequentially covered the user perspective, effective 

communication access, loop systems, and how to provide good audio for people with hearing 

loss. Misconceptions about magnetic interference were also deliberately addressed early to 

help minimize their effects as soon as possible.     

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The Nation’s Voice for People with Hearing Loss 

www.hearingloss.org     7910 Woodmont Avenue Suite 1200 Bethesda, MD 20814 

One track (T1) focused on the technical aspects of hearing loop systems while another track 

(T2) provided workshops of particular interest for consumer advocates and audiologists. After 

the entire audience had the opportunity to learn fundamental information about loop systems, 

the second day provided an overview of system issues, including technology, advocacy issues, 

and successful strategies for improving the status quo of loop systems. The conference 

concluded with a panel of organizational leaders who discussed recommendations for future 

actions.   

All speakers were asked to provide complete presentation files before the conference, available 

at www.hearingloss.org. Computer Assisted Real‐Time Transcription (CART) and hearing loops 

were provided for all sessions.   

Overview of Educational Sessions 

Sunday, June 19th 

 

 In the introductory breakfast session, “Getting into the Hearing Loop,” psychologist David 

Myers, Ph.D., (U.S.) addressed why hearing loops are a particularly effective assistive 

listening system for people with hearing aids. Hard of hearing himself, Myers described the 

welcoming effect of experiencing many looped places in England, beginning with Heathrow 

Airport and including the London Underground, Westminster Abbey, and London taxis. 

Myers pointed out the following user‐friendly features of hearing loops over other current 

assistive listening systems: simplicity, immediacy, invisibility, power‐effectiveness, and 

universality. He saw the ultimate aim being not to promote loop systems per se but directly 

hearing‐aid‐compatible (DHAC) assistive listening. He then described successful efforts to 

promote looping locally and in the United States via the “Let’s Loop America” initiative.   

 To teach loop installers and proponents how to facilitate effective communication access, 

Matthew Bakke, Ph.D., (U.S.) discussed numerous, practical recommendations for 

“Providing Effective Communication Access.” Bakke revealed that current requirements by 

the Americans with Disabilities Act for a minimum signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) of 18 dB and a 

speech transmission index of 0.84 had been based on what was a minimally acceptable SNR 

for 75 percent of participating subjects with hearing loss. He clarified that the highest 

possible SNR with a comfortable sound pressure level should be the goal. Identified were 

these future research needs: listener acceptability of signals in noise in various conditions 

(speech babble, HVAC, traffic, etc.); listener acceptability of signals with different levels of 

background music or sound tracks; listener acceptability of various levels of reverberation; 

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“Understanding and Addressing Causes of Environmental Interference with Telecoils” 

addressed misconceptions about magnetic interference (EMI) which cause many people to 

underestimate the value and usefulness of telecoils. Speakers Doug Edworthy (U.K.) and 

Richard McKinley (U.S.) explained common sources of interference, including ground loops, 

and how to identify and troubleshoot them. Frequent sources of EMI are lighting dimmers, 

cathode ray tube (CRT) televisions or monitors, fluorescent (strip) lighting, and improperly 

installed alternating current (AC) power cabling, AC power transformers, electric motors, 

and electric heating systems. Several real‐life cases of magnetic interference were 

presented along with solutions. McKinley pointed out that poor wiring practices often cause 

interference but can often be detected by loop receivers. Edworthy recommended that 

building codes require inspectors to check for ground loops. The international standard for 

audio frequency induction loop systems, IEC 60118‐4 (2006), recommends an A‐weighted 

noise level of ‐47 dB L or better for optimal audio; magnetic noise at ‐32 dB L and worse 

needs a listening assessment to gauge acceptability. The standard does not permit magnetic 

noise at a level of ‐22 dB L or higher.2 

 For “Hearing Loops: The Basics” (T1), Ken Hollands, (U.K.), and Andy Jankowski (U.S.) 

provided an overview of how hearing loops work and how to install simple perimeter loops, 

including guidance about when more advanced loop configurations would be needed 

instead. Illustrated simulations of spill fields for six different loop configurations helped 

demonstrate when the configurations would be used for different environments. Specific 

instructions were given for how to connect a loop system to a television, including how to 

connect an audio digital‐to‐analog converter for a digital TV without an analog audio 

output.  

 The “Telecoil Panel” (T2) highlighted the importance of the telecoil for use with loop 

systems:  

 Research audiologist Linda Kozma‐Spytek (U.S.) provided an overview of the telecoil, 

showing how the frequency response of the telecoil interacts with the frequency 

response of loop systems, and emphasized the need to quantify objectively the real‐ear 

performance of the hearing aid in telecoil mode when coupled with a standard inductive 

source.  

 Representatives of hearing aid companies then spoke about the telecoils in their 

companies’ hearing aids. Oticon and Starkey representatives said the telecoils could be 

      

(26)

   

 

 

The Nation’s Voice for People with Hearing Loss 

www.hearingloss.org     7910 Woodmont Avenue Suite 1200 Bethesda, MD 20814 

programmed for use with loop systems upon request (as opposed to use with 

telephones).  

 Doug Beck, Au.D., of Oticon stated that the vertically‐oriented telecoils in the Oticon 

Agil hearing aid can be programmed to provide a higher frequency response up to 

5,000 Hz.  

 Jason Galster, Ph.D., of Starkey discussed Starkey’s research on telecoils and 

commented that several years ago a hearing aid requirement was established for all 

Starkey products to have a telecoil. Starkey is now looking at maximizing telecoil 

performance by moving telecoils into external devices. Pictures of the frequency 

response for the Starkey telecoil showed a potential low frequency response more 

robust than that shown for other hearing aids (which tend to roll off the low 

frequencies to minimize magnetic noise). 

 Widex audiologist Daniel Tibbs, Au.D., spoke of the separate gain available to 

program the sensitivity of Widex telecoils (useful for decreasing pickup of 

environmental interference (EMI), and discussed the integrated telecoil in the Widex 

M‐Dex wireless multi‐function device, useful for hearing aids too small to include a 

telecoil. 

 Conny Andersson (Sweden), chair of the International Electrotechnical Committee 

(IEC) on audio frequency induction loop systems, concluded with recommendations 

for hearing aid manufacturers to:  

1. Set telecoils to work with IEC standard 60118‐4 so that switching between the 

telecoil and the microphone will provide the same output level as for a 70 dB SPL 

acoustic signal and for a standards‐compliant hearing loop; 

2. Increase the low frequency response for the telecoil; 

3. Develop a “hum harmonics remover” to filter out the harmonics of the magnetic 

noise caused by environmental magnetic interference. 

4. Develop several channels for loop systems and telecoils to provide the option of 

stereo and more flexibility in dealing with spillover and electromagnetic 

interference concerns.    

 Two free PowerPoint resources developed specifically for the conference were showcased 

during the conference’s only lunch session. Conny Andersson showed a PowerPoint 

presentation which acoustically demonstrated specific levels of compliance with IEC 60118‐4 

requirements. Many attendees were able to hear for the first time how these specific 

(27)

 

Dana Mulvany showed another PowerPoint presentation with pictures of hearing loop 

installations around the world which can be used as a presentation or slideshow. She 

discussed how the presentation can be adapted by adding photos of local or regional places 

with hearing loops and updating information about each loop. 

 Retired broadcaster and broadcast engineer Mike Langner (U.S.) gave a truly multimedia 

performance: “Providing Great Sound for People Who Are Hard of Hearing: Optimizing the 

Audio for Assistive Listening Technology and Loudspeakers.” In addition to explaining 

different types of microphones and showing their pickup patterns, Langner played sound 

recordings of good and poor audio, teaching the audience how to understand and recognize 

the impact of different kinds of audio processing and microphone techniques upon the 

quality of the audio. To educate the audience about the minimum signal‐to‐noise ratio 

(SNR) required by the current U.S. ADAAG, Langner also played numerous sound files 

showing the effect of an 18 dB SNR with different kinds of background noise. (The 

multimedia PowerPoint presentation available online has video and sound files embedded 

within it, useful for listeners to play as often as needed to improve their ability to recognize 

causes of poor audio.) 

 The “Dispensing Professionals Panel” (T2) described how dispensing professionals can help 

their clients get “into the hearing loop.” Moderator Patricia Kricos, Ph.D., (U.S.) then 

president of the American Academy of Audiology, was joined by Irish audiologist and 

consumer advocate Emma McAuley, and Juliëtte Sterkens, Au.D., from the United States. 

McAuley described how as an audiologist working at DeafHear.ie in Ireland, she takes a 

consumer‐centered approach assessing and addressing the needs of the client, providing 

affordable hearing aids, and helping the client to use telecoils successfully with assistive 

listening technology. Sterkens provided valuable insights about and practical suggestions for 

optimal programming of the telecoil for use with loop systems. Kricos described the “Get in 

the Hearing Loop” Task Force and gave an overview of the extensive and varied materials it 

had developed to help dispensing professionals and consumers understand more about 

telecoils and loop systems. 

 Doug Edworthy led the “Beyond the Basics: Complex and Creative Loops and Other Issues” 

(T1) session with his discussion of his survey of the London Underground. Commissioned to 

evaluate levels of magnetic interference and the effect of metal in order to find out 

whether loop installations were possible, he was able to make recommendations for 

effective placements of loops and minimization of interference; the London Underground 

(28)

   

 

 

The Nation’s Voice for People with Hearing Loss 

www.hearingloss.org     7910 Woodmont Avenue Suite 1200 Bethesda, MD 20814 

designing and installing loop systems. Todd Billin, (U.S.), followed with a pictorial overview 

and discussion of the largest known looped fixed seating installation in the United States 

with 12,200 seats in the mezzanine and main arena levels of the Breslin Center of Michigan 

State University, East Lansing. Next, creative loop installations and applications were the 

subject of Richard McKinley’s presentation, including hidden installations in non‐traditional 

places like buses, kiosks, tennis courts and online monitoring of multiple loop installations. 

Paul Ingebrigtsen, (U.S.), concluded with “Integrating Loop Technology with FM or Infrared 

Assistive Listening Systems,” addressing performance standards for receivers, neck loops 

and silhouettes to ensure effective use by telecoil users. He discussed practical issues and 

recommendations when using loop systems in conjunction with IR or FM systems.   

 An extended “Questions and Answers (Advanced Issues)” period was held for one‐half 

hour to allow people to ask additional questions about loop systems and get answers to 

unanswered ones from earlier in the day. In addition to the speakers for the session above, 

Matthew Bakke and Mike Langner also participated on the panel. 

 To help more people work with facilities to improve the quality of installed loops, Conny 

Andersson and Ken Hollands developed “A Systematic Approach to Evaluating and/or 

Validating Loop Systems” (T1) to train non‐technical consumer advocates how to formally 

evaluate the performance of a loop system. Trainees evaluated five different small loop 

installations with varying levels of performance, using checklists and loop receivers with 

field strength level indication provided by Ampetronic and Bo Edin/Univox. This training was 

repeated the next day for a different group of attendees. Each training session was limited 

to 25 pre‐registered attendees. 

Monday, June 20th 

 

The Technology Landscape for Loop Systems: Current and Future.” To continue 

addressing the needs of people with hearing loss well, loop proponents need to be 

knowledgeable about relevant current and future hearing assistive technology.  

 Jason Galster, Ph.D., began this session analyzing present and future wireless 

technology for hearing aids: the telecoil, Bluetooth, near field magnetic induction, and 

900 MHz and 2.4 GHz radio. Although he concluded that the non‐telecoil wireless 

technologies offer improved sound quality and improved consistency of connectivity, 

they lack standardization, and Galster, therefore, determined that the universality of 

telecoils makes them “the only standard option for wireless audio transmission to 

References

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