Assistive Listening Systems: Tips & Technique

Copyright 2002 Sound Expressions

Background noise and reverberation degrade intelligibility much faster for the hearing impaired, whether they wear hearing aids or not. Thus, the hearing impaired are prevented from participating on equal terms in larger assembly areas which are not equipped with an assistive listening system. Even the best in sound systems technology, combined with the best in hearing aid technology, cannot solve the intelligibility problems faced by the hearing impaired. In recognition of this, requirements for installation of assistive listening systems in places of public accommodation were included in the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) signed into law in July of 1990. Note that to our knowledges, Churches have been exempt from this legal requirement. However, most Churches have desired to comply as a courtesy to the members of the congregation who are in need of this technology.

The purpose of an assistive listening system is to transmit sound as directly as possible to a transducer worn in a person's ear. This is often done via a wireless FM transmitter such as the one pictured above. Members of the audience or congregation can ask to use the receiver. The service audio is transmitted to all the receivers, each of which has it's own volume control.

Below are a few tips regarding the use of these assistive listening systems.

1. The receivers should have a standard headphone jack. This allows a person to select and bring their own headphone if desired.
2. Some persons like to remove their hearing aid when using this type of system while others do not. Users of the receivers may appreciate the suggestion to try it both ways.
3. You will want to establish a procedure to distribute & reclaim the receivers and provide battery maintenance. Decide if the users pick them up each week at a given location or keep them. If they keep them, we suggest that the individual may want to purchase their own receiver, or the church may consider them an investment in the well being of the hearing impaired attenders and face the reality that some may not get returned.
4. Things that go into a persons ear are considered personal in nature. People don't want something that was in someone else's ear last week. I've seen a standard place (like a mailbox slot) where those who use these pick up and drop off their assigned receiver each week before/after the service. This let's them use the same one each week while returning them to have the battery replaced if needed. Another option is just purchase extra ear pieces/headsets and give each user just the headset as their own. Then they only request the receiver each week since they bring their own ear-piece to plug into the receiver.
5. If your church or organization has not used these before don't be surprized if it takes a while before people are willing to accept the receivers and ask for them. Those who know a family member might need one should encourage them to try it. We had some persons who were NOT hearing impaired try them just to see how they worked. In retrospect I think this made those who really needed them more comfortable in asking to use one. Once she tried one, a lady in her 80's said it was the first time she had been able to hear the sermon for the past 20 years!
6. About the Batteries: find out how long they last (e.g. go out in the 4th sunday) then replace WITH THE SAME BRAND Of BATTERY every 3rd weeks. Have a way to tell how many services each was used so you don't have to replace the ones that sat on the shelf because the user of that unit was gone a few weeks.