Making phone calls can be a source of stress and frustration for many with hearing loss, and hearing aids alone may not be enough. Not all technology is created equal, and some landline and mobile phones may be more compatible with some hearing aids than others. Similarly, there are different features and settings that can be adjusted on hearing aids so that they work with your phone to better direct audio to your assistive device. In this article we examine how to get the most out of your calls when using hearing aids and what to look for when shopping for a hearing aid compatible phone.
Those with hearing loss have two main options when shopping for a phone to assist with their accessibility needs, either a smartphone or a landline phone. Whether the individual decides a mobile phone or landline best meets their needs, they will need to consider the phone’s hearing aid compatibility rating and other features of the phone, such as volume and amplification capabilities. Many who are hard of hearing may also benefit from captioned calls, which can be received on either a captioned landline phone or on a smartphone via a captioning app like InnoCaption. Captioned calls transcribe the audio of the call to provide real-time captions of the conversation as it is spoken. Thanks to today’s advances in technology and regulations from the FCC, all cell phones are hearing aid compatible and all workplace, emergency and public phones are also required to be hearing aid compatible. While all smartphones are compatible with hearing aids, the degree of hearing loss will help to dictate what compatibility rating scores to look for when shopping for a mobile phone.
If you find yourself struggling to make out what is being said, asking the party on the other line to repeat themselves, or avoiding phone conversations, you may benefit from using hearing aids to make calls. Hearing aids are not a requirement in order for those who are hard of hearing to successfully make a phone call, but they can better facilitate phone calls and even help prevent further hearing loss. For those with hearing loss but currently without hearing aids, amplification of your smartphone’s output may be enough for mild hearing loss or helpful in the interim before visiting an audiologist for evaluation and recommendations. Although when first thinking of an amplified phone many may think of amplified landline phones available for purchase, amplification is accessible for mobile phone calls as well.
Hard of hearing callers can amplify audio by utilizing an external amplifier or through using headphones to amplify audio and other sounds. For Android users, the app Sound Amplifier is available for free download in the Google Play store and allows the user to reduce noise, amplify quiet or soft sounds and boost high or low frequencies. Sound Amplifier can be used with any headphones and allows for customization and different settings for each ear.
iPhone users are also able to take advantage of Apple’s hearing accessibility features to provide amplification of phone calls. Through utilizing Apple’s Headphone Accommodations, iPhone holders are able to amplify quiet noises and adjust frequencies to their own individual needs, determined through a series of listening tests. Individuals are even able to import their own audiogram results if they have them available. This allows the headphone or AirPod user to allow their earphones to function as hearing aids for use outside of phone calls as well.
Hearing Aids have made both smartphones and landline-based phones more accessible through amplifying what the other party says and allowing the hard of hearing user to receive audio more directly. When hearing aids are used in conjunction with compatible phones, the audio output from the phone’s speaker must first pass through the microphone on the hearing aid where it is amplified and then sent to the ear canal. Some hearing aids also feature what is known as a tele-coil, a small induction coil within the device, which allows the hearing aid to send sound directly to the device’s processor without having to rely on the phone’s microphone. This can be beneficial as it offers delivery of audio with less interference, but may also be necessary for those who have moderate or profound hearing loss to receive audio with the clarity needed. Prior to the advancements with assistive technology and hearing aid-compatible phones, those with hearing loss only had captioned phones and amplified phones as primary options to choose from. Amplified phones help improve accessibility through increasing the volume of the ringer and output, as well as offering audio and tonal control to adjust to the individual’s own hearing frequencies. Both amplified phones and captioned phones are landline-based options, which restrict the hard of hearing individual to only being able to make accessible calls within their workplace or home, or an even smaller area if using a stationary or non-cordless phone model. In today’s modern world, technology is increasingly intertwined with day-to-day life. Hearing aids have improved phone accessibility as a whole, but compatibility with smartphones has been integral to making calls accessible from anywhere for those who are hard of hearing. Thanks to these advancements, those with hearing loss are able to make calls on the go from wherever the day takes them.
When shopping for a hearing aid-compatible phone, consumers can choose between a landline model or a smartphone. Landline-based hearing aid-compatible phone options are amplified phones or captioned phones. While both amplify the audio and direct the sound to the hearing aid’s microphone, captioned phones also feature a screen which displays easy to read captions of the conversation for the hard of hearing caller to ready and better follow the conversation. Taking into consideration the lack of mobility with landline phones mentioned above, captioned phones may still be a valued option for those in rural or remote areas or those with financial restrictions. Captioned landline phones are an affordable option for those who may not have the means to purchase the smartphone model they need, and many may qualify for a free captioned phone as part of the FCC’s Telecommunications Relay Services.
Those who choose to shop for a smartphone to pair with their hearing aids will need to evaluate the compatibility rating of each model they consider. While all smartphones are hearing aid-compatible as mandated by the FCC, not all mobile phones boast the same compatibility. Hearing aid compatible phones use two rating systems which are important to keep note of when conducting research before purchase. The two ratings used are the M and T rating. An M rating will range from one to four, and serves to help remove background noise and feedback. A hearing aid compatible phone’s T rating refers to the compatibility level of the phone with a user’s tele-coil in their hearing aid. This technology may help improve the signal quality of the call by sending the sound directly to your hearing aid processor without having to rely on a microphone. If a smartphone does not have a T rating this indicates that the device will not be able to work with the hearing aid’s tele-coil. Each hearing aid device has its own M and T rating as well, and these ratings should be considered as well to determine overall compatibility and minimize interference. One strategy to help determine compatibility is to add the M and T ratings of the mobile phone and hearing aid together. Add only the M ratings together, and then only the T ratings separately from each other. A combined rating of six is considered “excellent”, a combined rating of five is “normal”, and a rating of four is deemed “usable”. Despite a rating of four being labeled as “usable”, the performance at this level would be unacceptable for most and would only allow the caller to make brief calls. It is worthwhile to ask sales associates to demonstrate different phones to see how each model reacts differently with the hearing aids being used.
Captioning of phone calls is a great tool to help make phone calls more accessible for the hard of hearing, and can help relieve anxiety or frustration surrounding the phone that many with hearing loss face. Although captions are an excellent resource to many with hearing loss by providing clarification for any hard to make out words and filling in the gap for any dialogue missed, they do not take the place of hearing aids. For those with a mild or moderate hearing loss, reading captions may be sufficient enough aid to help clarify ambiguous sounding words and follow conversation.
However, for those who have a severe hearing loss, reading captions alone may not be enough. Without audio paired alongside the captions, it may be difficult for the hard of hearing individual to know when it is the appropriate time to respond or when the other party has finished speaking. Additionally, hearing aids serve a purpose beyond facilitating phone calls, where mobile captions’ role ends. Hearing aids amplify sounds and dialogue in everyday life, which helps provide the necessary stimulation for speech recognition and comprehension. Relying on captions alone without a hearing assistive device does not protect the user against further hearing loss and may even keep an underlying issue hidden beneath the surface if they avoid professional medical advice.
Captions can be helpful to those with all degrees of hearing loss. Even those with mild hearing loss can benefit from captions as it gives confirmation or clarification of the word that is being heard. Even with hearing aids or other assistive devices, there may be specific frequencies or tones that are not able to be heard by the wearer. Studies have shown that the use of captions improves speech understanding while watching television, even in those using hearing aids. Similarly, captioning of phone calls also helps bolster speech discrimination to disambiguate words and to aid the listener to process and comprehend the dialogue being heard.
Utilizing hearing aids in conjunction with captioning yields better understanding, supports memory and cognitive health, and, most importantly, facilitates clearer hearing and communication. Overall, hearing aids have been shown to be much more effective when used alongside hearing aids. Captions have been noted to be especially helpful to those with age-related hearing loss, even supporting comprehension better than hearing aids. For those with a hearing loss who are also bilingual or who are not native English speakers, captioning also helps promote language retention. Mobile apps like InnoCaption also help make captioning a more widely available resource by offering Spanish captions. Through offering captions in multiple languages, this aids in providing greater accessibility for the hard of hearing. As a whole, hearing aids become a more effective resource overall when used together with captions.
Listening is a skill and does not rely on the ears alone to hear. The ability to hear is not always synonymous with understanding or speech comprehension. In order to hear and process sound, the ears and brain work together. Sound travels through the ears and is then processed by the auditory part of the brain. If those with a hearing loss neglect to wear hearing aids, the brain loses the ability to process certain sounds and can have increasing difficulty recognizing speech. Using captions while wearing hearing aids helps to retrain the brain language centers and reestablish cognitive connections.
Struggling to hear can also impact long term memory. In addition to age-related hearing loss, factors like background noise also play a role and make listening more demanding on the brain. Resulting in increased listening effort, this puts a strain on the brain and affects other areas of cognitive health. Using captions in addition to hearing aids reduces the fatigue associated with the increased listening effort. Providing captions has shown to improve both immediate recall and delayed recognition memory.
Captions allow hearing aids to work more effectively which not only positively impact cognitive health, but boosts confidence. Using a captioning service like InnoCaption, which provides real-time captions of mobile calls, allows those with a hearing loss to communicate with greater confidence as captions clarify the conversation. Through clarifying the conversation with captioning, users experience less listening fatigue and are able to be more present in the moment and interact more fully in the conversation. Using captions alongside hearing aids helps to further facilitate human exchange and give those with a hearing loss a renewed feeling of inclusion and connection.
“As someone who is hard of hearing, this app is an absolute game changer and enables me to use my cell to make calls and I am not limited to my landline captioned phone.”
— InnoCaption User
InnoCaption provides real-time captioning technology making phone calls easy and accessible for the deaf and hard of hearing community. Offered at no cost to individuals with hearing loss because we are certified by the FCC. InnoCaption is the only mobile app that offers real-time captioning of phone calls through live stenographers and automated speech recognition software. The choice is yours.
InnoCaption proporciona tecnología de subtitulado en tiempo real que hace que las llamadas telefónicas sean fáciles y accesibles para la comunidad de personas sordas y con problemas de audición. Se ofrece sin coste alguno para las personas con pérdida auditiva porque estamos certificados por la FCC. InnoCaption es la única aplicación móvil que ofrece subtitulación en tiempo real de llamadas telefónicas mediante taquígrafos en directo y software de reconocimiento automático del habla. Usted elige.
