Clear Speech for
People with Hearing Loss
Telecoils
Tools/resources
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Colorado "Telecoils Improve Hearing Aids Dramatically!" 2 pages (pdf) and 4 pages-detailed (pdf).
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Ask your audiologist or hearing aid provider about telecoils. Hearing healthcare provider (pdf)
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"What is a hearing aid telecoil and why would I want one?" Healthy Hearing 2019 (website)
What is a telecoil?
A telecoil is an essential hearing aid component that brings clear sounds from the microphone through ADA mandated assistive listening systems directly into the hearing aid with clarity and no background noise.
A telecoil is a small copper coil installed in the majority of hearing aids and almost all cochlear implants.
Also, a telecoil can connect hearing aids and cochlear implants to a person's home phone (amplified or captioned phone) or wireless device such as smartphones (iPhone, Droid), flip phone, and tablet (iPad).
Buying new hearing aids? Ask for a telecoil!
When you buy your hearing aids or cochlear implant, include a telecoil - even if you think you have
little use for this feature. Remember, you will probably keep your devices for several years. If your
needs change, the audiologist or hearing aid provider can simply activate and program the telecoil at
that time at little or no cost.
Whenever your telecoils are programmed, make sure you understand how to use your telecoils with a hearing loop.
Remember, if a telecoil is desired in a hearing device, they must be installed during the manufacturing process. Note, although one can access a telecoil via an accessory (such as a streamer), it is often much easier to use if it is installed as a program.
Try a hearing loop or other assistive listening system!
Anyone with or without hearing loss can borrow headphones to experience a hearing loop. That's handy for friends and family to experience a hearing loop too!
If you are purchasing hearing devices, listening thru the hearing loop may help you to decide to include a telecoil.