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What is assistive listening?

Assistive listening provides a live audio feed from the room to people with additional needs, such as hearing aids or implants.

In our classrooms we use a system called Auracast, which is the next generation of assistive listening.

Eventually this technology will be available in most hearing devices, but right now users will require an adapter which can be loaned from the technician's office of each site. The adapter provides either 3.5mm connection or a wearable hearing loop.

It's also possible to use Auracast if you have compatible headphones.

Pros

  • People who are deaf, deafened or hard of hearing can hear a clean audio feed from the room.
  • People with light or undiagnosed hearing loss, or neurodiverse conditions can bring relatively affordable headphones to listen.

Cons

  • Auracast can be picked up outside the classroom.
  • There is a slight delay with these systems which means assistive listening users will hear themselves when using a microphone to ask a question in the classroom.

Key things to remember

  • You need to be wearing a microphone properly and avoid wearing loose items of clothing or jewllery near the mic.
  • Do not touch or hold the microphone as this will be very loud and uncomfortable for assistive listening users.
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