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Hearing Services

The Hearing Services team consists of an assistive technology consultant, educational audiologists and teacher consultants for the hearing impaired. We work with families, students, school personnel and other professionals to promote learning by:

• Evaluating hearing and listening disorders
• Early hearing detection in Oakland County
• Evaluating the need for and providing instructional services to students who are identified as deaf or hard of hearing
• Providing assistive listening devices for students who are deaf or hard of hearing
• Providing county-wide resources which allow school districts to secure sound field equipment at reduced rates
• Providing workshops, information and resources

Evaluation & Services:

Services

• Diagnostic check and tune-up of hearing aids and FM units
  
• Classroom consultation
  
• Books and videos for loan
  
• Equipment for short term loan:
  
  • Hearing aids
    
  • Easy Listeners
    
  • Portable audiometers
    
• FM Equipment
• Periodic hearing tests for students with an identified hearing loss
  
• Sound Field Inservice
• Deaf/Hard of Hearing Center Program Classrooms

Evaluations

• Hearing loss: Rule out, identify or provide a second opinion
  
• Hearing aid selection
  
• Appropriate classroom amplification selection

Professional Development
(about these and other topics)

• Classroom Acoustics
  
• Assistive listening devices
  
• Cochlear Implants
  
• Noise
  
• Listening

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Teacher Consultants for the Hearing Impaired:

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Oakland Schools Teacher Consultants for Deaf/Hard of Hearing Students

Oakland Schools Consultants for Deaf/Hard of Hearing Students use their specialized training and experience to facilitate the success of students in the following unique ways:

Evaluation

• Classroom Acoustics
  
• Language Development
  
• Listening Skills
  
• Educational Programming

Services

• Consult with parents, educational staff and audiologists
  
• Direct instruction in auditory skills, language development, selfadvocacy
  
• In-service educational staff
  
• Interpret audiological reports
  
• Inspect and adjust sound enhancement devices
  
• Educational liaison between parents, school, medical
  
• Monitor educational programming and supportive accommodations
  

To contact your teacher consultant:

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Assistive Listening Technology in Oakland County:

Frequently Asked Questions:

What is FM equipment and why do students need it?
Classrooms are auditory-verbal environments. Research reveals that auditory discrimination has primary importance for the development of the basic academic skills that underlie school success. Classroom noise, poor acoustics, and distance between the speaker and the listener interfere with speech discrimination. Technology was introduced into schools over 50 years ago to eliminate these problems. A variety of systems were developed which eventually gave way to frequency modulated (FM) systems which operate like a miniature radio transmitter and receiver. Each system consists of a teacher-worn microphone and transmitter and a student worn receiver. The receivers and transmitter have rechargeable batteries.

Students in Oakland county currently wear a receiver the size of a thick palm-pilot on a belt around the waist, coupled either to cords traveling up to the ear pieces or interfacing with an FM system loop worn around the neck with personal hearing aids.

The new systems, the Phonak Microlink, consist of teacher transmitter and microphone, lighter in weight. The student receiver, once the size of a thick palm-pilot, now inconspicuously couples to programmable or digital hearing aids worn behind the ear. Cosmetically appealing, less cumbersome, wireless and improved clarity.

Why do we need new equipment?
Technology changes. Programmable and digital hearing aids use state of the art technology which provides a clearer signal and better speech discrimination for consonants which provide most of the information in conversational speech. This new equipment operates on narrow channels within the 216MHz-217MHz frequency band and is less likely to process outside interference than the current 72-76MHz band. Traditionally, older students discontinue FM use to the detriment of their education because of quality and cosmetic issues. With better clarity and wireless technology, students are more likely to continue use in their least restrictive environment.The new equipment also allows students to better access information in non-academic settings.

How did we make the choice of which kind of equipment to buy?
Selection of assistive listening devices for school systems is based on many factors- price, warranty, repair history, compatibility, features, etc. In addition to these standard criteria, in accordance with IDEA, we also included students, parents and teachers in the decision-making process. After reviewing the FM technology available, we selected two systems for field-testing. 15 students wore each system for a three month period. Surveys were completed by students, parents, teachers and Oakland Schools staff. Both subjective and objective data supported the Phonak product.

Students gave the Phonak Microlink a better grade than the Phonic Ear Sprite. The Microlink was rated as either Excellent or Good by 100% of the students as compared to 64% of the students who rated the Sprite as Excellent or Good. Students liked the Phonak Microlink in terms of comfort, looks, power, dependability and sound quality.

Parents gave the Phonak Microlink a better grade than the Phonic Ear Sprite. The Microlink was rated as either Excellent or Good by 84% of the parents as compared to 60% of the parents who rated the Sprite as Excellent or Good. The Sprite was given an overall rating of Poor by 20% of the parents surveyed.

For more information, please contact: Deborah Edwards, Educational Audiologist at 248.209.2256.

Oakland Schools Hearing Aid Care Guide:

Oakland Schools Hearing Aid Guide

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Early Hearing Detection in Oakland County:

• Services in Oakland County
• Universal Newborn Hearing Screening

  Links:

  • www.handsandvoices.org
  • www.babyhearing.org
    
  • www.agbell.org
    
  • www.madhs.org
  • www.michigan.gov/mdch

For additional information about early hearing detection in Oakland County, please contact Mary Ann Lyon Knittel, Educational Audiologist at 248.209.2261.