National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders

Struggling with what type of listening device to purchase to best help a student with a hearing impairment?  Check out the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).  NIDCD conducts and supports research in the normal and disordered processes of hearing, balance, taste, smell, voice, speech, and language.

A handy information resource at the NICDC site is the Assistive Devices for People with Hearing, Voice, Speech, or Language Disorders page which answers these questions and more.

  • What are assistive devices?
  • What types of assistive devices are available?
  • What types of assistive listening devices are available?
  • What types of augmentative and alternative communication devices are available for communicating face-to-face?
  • What augmentative and alternative communication devices are available for communicating by telephone?
  • What types of alerting devices are available?
  • What research is being conducted on assistive technology?
  • Where can I get more information?
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Author: WINAHEAD

WINAHEAD is made up of representatives from thirty institutions. Our members are professionals employed by two- and four-year colleges and universities who work directly with students with disabilities to ensure equal access to higher education. WIN indicates the geographic area we represent: Western Iowa and Nebraska. AHEAD is our national parent organization, the Association on Higher Education and Disability.