Other assistance

Sometimes you need to use other devices to help you get the most out of your hearing aids.

Assistive Listening Devices are used to improve hearing for the telephone, television and in public places such as churches, cinemas and lecture theatres.

FM systems are used to help you hear a single speaker more clearly when listening at a distance or in noisy or echoing places. They are most commonly used in educational settings. Clients under 21 years of age are eligible for fully subsidised FM systems from Australian Hearing.

Teletypewriter (TTY) Access

Telstra runs a program to provide access to TTYs for Deaf and hearing-impaired people. All people with severe to profound hearing loss are eligible, regardless of age or pension status.

Parents can apply for their child provided the child has a permanent hearing loss.

For more information, contact Telstra:

Voice: 1800 068 424
TTY: 1800 808 981
Fax: 1800 814 777
Email: disability@online.telstra.com.au

or call in to your nearest Telstra Business Office or use the online catalogue at:

http://www.telstra.com.au/disability/catalogue

TTYs are now provided at a number of pay phones around the country. Visit:

http://www.telstra.com.au/disability/ttypayphones/index.htm

National Relay Service (NRS)

For people who have TTYs, the National Relay Service (NRS) is available to relay calls between voice and TTY users. This is a telephone relay service for people who are Deaf, hearing impaired or speech impaired to communicate with the wider community. This service is available 24 hours a day, every day of the year for the cost of a local call.

For enquiries about the National Relay Service (including training in the use of the Relay Service), call:

Voice: 1800 652 201
TTY: 1800 629 863
Fax: (07) 3405 8402
Web: http://www.relayservice.com.au/

The National Relay Service offers a range of services to help Deaf or Hearing Impaired clients use the telephone, including Type and Read calls.

Captioned Television

Captions show the entire soundtrack of a TV program, TV commercial, video or DVD as text on the screen. Unlike foreign language subtitles, which are a translation of the dialogue only, captions include other elements of the soundtrack such as sound effects and music. They are also coloured and positioned on screen to help the viewer follow who is speaking.

Captions are accessed for free by the viewer using either a teletext TV or a digital set-top box.

Captions are available on all TV programs shown between 6.00 - 10.30pm on all free-to-air networks and on many videos and DVDs.

Our audiologists can provide information or refer clients to other services if necessary.

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Other assistance