As organizations looks to improve accessibility for disabled people, one option that is often overlooked is the installation of a hearing loop. Audio induction loop systems, more commonly referred to as hearing loops, are an assistive listening technology that broadcasts sound directly to hearing aids and cochlear implants through an invisible baseband audio frequency current. A loop of cable placed around the designated area sets the boundary for the accessible sound.
The following YouTube video, produced by the City of Eugene, Oregon’s Cultural Services division, explains how hearing loops have contributed to an improvement in accessibility at the John G. Shedd Institute for the Arts.
In the video, Alito Alessi, co-founder of DanceAbility International, says that “Hearing loops to hearing aids are like a ramp to a wheelchair – both provide total accessibility to the person either in the chair or with the loop and the hearing aids.”
Indeed, hearing loops are an accessibility feature that can dramatically improve the experiences of deaf and hard of hearing people, whether installed in a performance theater or in a restaurant or bar.
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