[an error occurred while processing this directive]

<!-- START: ihd_proj.inc.php -->

    <!-- let's open the outer table -->
    <table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" >
      <tr>

        <!-- let's draw the navigation sidebar  echo( '            ' . 
      (strcasecmp($buttontoselect,'AzLAT') ? '<li>' : '<li class="active">') . 
      '<a href="http://www.azlat.org">Arizona Loan$ for Assistive Technology</a></li>' . "\n" );-->
        <td align="left" valign="top" width="100px"><div id="sidebar"> 
          <div class="title">AzTAP NAVIGATION</div>
          <ul class="menu">
            <li><a href="http://www2.nau.edu/aztap-p/index.shtml">AzTAP Home</a></li>
            <li><a href="http://www2.nau.edu/aztap-p/aztapinfo.shtml">About AzTAP</a></li>
            <li><a href="http://www2.nau.edu/aztap-p/services.shtml">Services &amp; Activities</a></li>
            <li><a href="http://www.azatexchange.org">Assistive Technology Exchange</a></li>
            <li><a href="http://www2.nau.edu/aztap-p/newsletter/">Newsletter</a></li>
            <li class="active"><a href="http://www2.nau.edu/aztap-p/library/">Library</a></li>
            <li><a href="http://www2.nau.edu/aztap-p/links.shtml">Links</a></li>
            <li><a href="http://www2.nau.edu/aztap-p/staff.shtml">Staff</a></li>
            <li><a href="http://www2.nau.edu/aztap-p/contactus.shtml">Contact Us</a></li>
          </ul>
        </div></td>
        <td valign="top" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">

          <!-- let's open the 'content' div -->
          <div id="content">

            <!-- let's show the heading -->
            
    <div id="pheader">Arizona Technology Access Program (AzTAP) </div>
            <h2>LIBRARY</h2><br />

<!-- END: ihd_proj.inc.php -->

<h4 align="center">Assistive Technology at Home and in the Community for People 
  who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing</h4>

<p>Assistive technology plays an important role in the lives of people who are deaf or hard of hearing. At home, at work, or at a public facility such as a restaurant or hotel, deaf and hard of hearing people depend on technology throughout the day.</p>

<p><strong>Assistive technology for deaf and hard of hearing people can be divided into the following four categories:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Devices for alerting or signaling</li>
<li>Devices for telecommunications</li>
<li>Assistive listening devices</li>
<li>Telecaption decoders</li>
</ul>

<h4>Devices for Alerting or Signaling</h4>

<p>People with typical hearing often take for granted the number of auditory signals that are part of everyday life. Alarm clocks, doorbells, telephones, and fire alarms are just a few of the auditory signals that may not be heard by people who are deaf or hard of hearing. To compensate for this, assistive technology devices are used to replace or supplement the auditory signal with a visual or vibrotactile signal. Some examples include:</p>

<ul>
<li>Alarm clocks: specialized alarms can produce a loud auditory signal, or may be connected to a bed vibrator or flashing light.</li>
<li>Telephones: signals from the telephone can be either amplified, or transmitted to a receiver resulting in a flashing light.</li>
<li>Doorbells: the signal from the doorbell may be amplified or transmitted to a receiver resulting in a flashing light. The light may flash at different rates depending on the source (telephone or doorbell), or signals may be transmitted through two separate lights.</li>
<li>Baby cry monitors: babies' cries or vocalizations are transmitted to a receiver that signals a flashing light or by vibration (worn on a pager-like device). Other signals, such as doorbells or telephones also may be transmitted as vibrotactile signals.</li>
<li>Smoke alarms: alerting devices such as smoke or fire alarms are adapted with powerful auditory signals and flashing strobe lights.</li>
</ul>

<h4>Devices for Telecommunications</h4>

<p>Using the telephone without the use of an assistive device can be difficult, if not impossible, for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Some people who are hard of hearing simply need amplification to communicate on the telephone. Several options for amplification are listed below:</p>
<ul>
<li>A hearing aid equipped with a T-coil used in conjunction with a telephone that is hearing aid compatible</li>
<li>Amplified handset</li>
<li>Amplifying telephone</li>
<li>Portable add-on amplifier</li>
<li>Amplifier added to the phone line</li>
</ul>

<p>People who cannot understand on the telephone, even when the signal is amplified, may use a device called a TTY (TeleTypewriter). Using this machine, a message is typed, transmitted over the telephone line and received by another TTY which displays the message. TTYs are available with various features including printer and answering machine. TDD (Telecommunication Device for the Deaf), and TT (Text Telephone) are other common names for this device.</p>

<p>If a TTY user needs to contact a voice user, or vice versa, the Arizona Relay Service is available to serve as an intermediary between the two parties. A Communication Assistant (CA) will convey the text signal to the voice user, and the voice message in text to the TTY user. All information is confidential and accurate. The Arizona Relay Service also is ASCII compatible</p>

<h4>Assistive Listening Devices</h4>
<p>The following devices amplify sound for live interaction or for listening to the television or stereo:</p>
<ul>
<li><em>FM system:</em> &nbsp;the FM transmitter can be used by directly plugging into the television or stereo, or by having the microphone in close proximity to the speaker. The signal is then transmitted to a receiver which the listener can adjust to the loudness level needed for individual hearing sensitivity</li>
<li><em>Induction loop:</em> &nbsp;an amplifier is connected to the television or stereo and the signal is transmitted on a loop of wire surrounding the area where the person is situated. This system can be used with a hearing aid equipped with a T-coil and T-switch or with an induction loop receiver</li>
<li><em>Infrared:</em> &nbsp;the infrared transmitter uses infrared light to send a signal to the receiver worn by the listener. The listener can adjust the loudness level needed for individual hearing sensitivity</li>
</ul>

<h4>Telecaption Decoders</h4>
<p>Today, many television shows, advertisements, and videotaped movies are &#8220;closed captioned&#8221;. This means that the dialogue of the program has been converted to text, but is not seen without the use of a telecaption decoder. Until recently, this device had to be purchased to decode the captions, but now all televisions with screens larger than 13 inches must have the decoder built in. Telecaption decoders still must be used with small TVs and televisions made before 1993.</p>

<p>For more information on accessing assistive technology devices or to learn more about legal requirements for providing assistive technology, please call:</p>
<ul class="notalist">
<li>Arizona Technology Access Program<br />
Institute for Human Development<br />
Northern Arizona University<br />
2400 N. Central Avenue, Suite 300<br />
Phoenix, AZ 85004<br />
Voice: (602) 728-9534<br />
TTY: &nbsp;&nbsp;(602) 728-9536<br />
Fax: &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(602) 728-9535</li>
</ul>

<h4>Additional Resources:</h4>
<table width="90%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
  <tr valign="top"> 
    <td width="50%"> <ul class="glossary">
        <li>Adult Loss of Hearing Association</br>
          4001 E. Fort Lowell Road</br>
          Tucson, AZ 85712-1011</br>
          Voice/Fax: (520) 795-9887</br>
          TTY: &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(520) 795-9585</li>
      </ul></td>
    <td width="50%"> <ul class="glossary">
        <li>Arizona Center for Disability Law (Phoenix)</br>
          3724 N. Third Street, Suite 300</br>
          Phoenix, AZ 85012</br>
          Voice/TTY: (602) 274-6287<br />
          Toll-Free: &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(800) 927-2260</li>
      </ul></td>
  </tr>
  <tr valign="top"> 
    <td width="50%"> <ul class="glossary">
        <li>Arizona Center for Disability Law (Tucson)</br>
          3208 E. Fort Lowell Rd., Suite</br>
          106 Tucson, AZ 85716</br>
          Voice/TTY: (520) 327-9547</br>
          Toll-Free: &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(800) 922-1447</li>
      </ul></td>
    <td width="50%"> <ul class="glossary">
        <li>Arizona Commission for the Deaf and Heard of Hearing</br>
          1300 W. Washington</br>
          Phoenix, AZ 85007</br>
          Voice/TTY: (602) 542-3323</br>
          Toll-Free: &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(800) 352-8161</li>
      </ul></td>
  </tr>
  <tr valign="top"> 
    <td width="50%"> <ul class="glossary">
        <li>Arizona Relay Service</br>
          1130 E. University Drive, Suite 212</br>
          Tempe, AZ 85281</br>
          Voice: &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(800) 
          842-4681 </br>
          TTY/ASCII: (800) 367-8939 </li>
      </ul></td>
    <td width="50%"> <ul class="glossary">
        <li>Community Outreach Program for Deaf</br>
          268 W. Adams Street</br>
          Tucson, AZ 85705</br>
          Voice/TTY: (520) 792-1906</br>
          Toll-Free: &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(800) 234-0344</li>
      </ul></td>
  </tr>
  <tr valign="top"> 
    <td width="50%"> <ul class="glossary">
        <li>Self Help for Hard of Hearing People</br>
          Greater Phoenix Chapter #1</br>
          P.O. Box 7061</br>
          Phoenix, AZ 85011</br>
          (602) 277-3283</br>
          (602) 277-3023</li>
      </ul></td>
    <td width="50%"> <ul class="glossary">
        <li>Valley Center of the Deaf</br>
          3130 E. Roosevelt</br>
          Phoenix, AZ 85008</br>
          Voice/TTY: (602) 267-1921</li>
      </ul></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
  <td colspan="2"><p>Special thanks to Lou Berry Cheek, President of Listening 
        Strategies, for her assistance with the preparation of this fact sheet.</p></td></tr>
</table>

[an error occurred while processing this directive]