Hearing Assistive Technology

Share

Systems designed to enhance the listening experience for students in educational settings. These systems typically involve the use of microphones, speakers, and sometimes other technologies like FM systems or infrared systems to amplify and clarify the teacher's voice.

  • Sensory
    • Hearing

High Tech

Considerations

Take the following considerations into account when selecting and implementing AT to ensure that the chosen tools are well-suited to the student’s needs, align with their goals, and seamlessly integrate into their educational journey. By embracing a collaborative approach and considering the specific skills, tasks, and implementation context, educators can provide students with the necessary support to thrive academically and functionally, promoting inclusivity and fostering their overall success.

Find potential contacts within your LEA and at your ESC for support.

Need Support

Find potential contacts within your LEA and at your ESC for support.

  • Teachers of Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (TODHH): A TODHH is trained to facilitate the academic, social, and linguistic development of students who are deaf or hard of hearing, ages birth to 21 years. They possess expertise in a range of communication modalities, including American Sign Language (ASL), English-based manual-visual languages, and spoken language. TODHHs assess individual student needs, develop tailored instructional plans, and collaborate with other professionals to ensure inclusive learning environments. They employ adaptive teaching strategies, assistive technologies, and specialized curricula to optimize students' educational experiences and promote their overall success in academic and social settings.

What skills or tasks will the student utilize this tool for? What areas, functional or academic, does this tool support?

Access to classroom discussions, lectures, notes

In what activities, classes, or environments will the student utilize this tool?

These technologies are particularly beneficial for students who are deaf or hard of hearing and/or students with auditory processing disorders, attention difficulties, or language barriers. By making the teacher's voice clearer and louder, classroom hearing assistive technology can improve students' comprehension, attention, and overall learning experience. It can also reduce the strain on teachers' voices by allowing them to speak at a normal volume without having to strain to be heard by all students in the classroom. 

These technologies typically include microphones worn by the teacher or strategically placed in the classroom, along with speakers placed throughout the room. 

The microphone captures the teacher's voice and transmits it wirelessly to the speakers, ensuring that students can hear clearly regardless of their seating position in the room. Some systems may also include additional features such as noise reduction to minimize background noise interference and improve speech intelligibility.

Resources and Training

CFR 300.324(a)(2)(v) requires the Admission Review and Dismissal (ARD) committee to consider whether a child needs assistive technology devices and services in the development, review, and revision of their IEP. This resource is intended to serve as a repository of the most commonly used AT resources to assist users with understanding the purpose of each AT tool, aspects of use for consideration within IEP development for students, and additional AT implementation resources.

TEA - Texas Education Agency

© Copyright 2025 Texas Education Agency (TEA). All Rights Reserved.