Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs): Types, Benefits And Cost (2024)

Assistive listening devices, which are sometimes referred to as assistive listening systems, cover a wide variety of devices that may help improve communication for a person with hearing loss or a speech or language disorder. Unlike hearing aids, which amplify sounds, assistive listening devices separate sounds like voices or television dialogue from background noise. These devices can augment hearing aids for people with profound or total hearing loss by providing visual alerts or vibrotactile feedback, such as vibrations, to help with the detection of sounds in a user’s environment.

Assisted listening devices can be used to assist people with hearing loss in a number of locations, including in public spaces like classrooms.

There are several assistive listening devices available to help people with hearing loss.

Induction loops or hearing loop systems use electromagnetic energy to transmit sound from an amplifier (like a microphone or television) through a thin loop of wire that surrounds a room or fans out beneath the flooring. The listener wears a receiver or headphones that pick up the sound being transmitted in or near the loop, providing a clearer listening experience for the user. Hearing aids must feature embedded coils to be compatible with an induction loop. Portable loop receivers can work as well for people without compatible hearing aids.

FM systems use radio signals to transmit sounds from a microphone, which is typically worn by the speaker, to a receiver worn by the person with hearing loss. Users with hearing aids or cochlear implants that have embedded telecoils can also use a metal wire, or neckloop, to convert frequency signals. The direct transmission of sounds helps the listener hear the speaker’s voice through a hearing aid or headset that’s tuned to a specific frequency or channel. As radio frequencies can pass through solid objects, the frequencies can pass through walls, meaning this device can be used in theaters, classrooms and restaurants where there may be competing voices and background noise, as well as during normal conversations.

Infrared systems use infrared light to transmit sound by changing sound waves into light signals and sending them to a receiver located in a user’s hearing aid or headphones. The receiver converts the light signal back into sound. Infrared systems can be used with a home television or in a movie theater, but they cannot penetrate walls or be used outdoors or where the environment has too many light sources. Similarly to FM systems, this type of assisted listening device can be used with a neckloop for users who have embedded telecoils in their hearing aids or cochlear implants.

Personal amplifiers are the size of a small cellphone and reduce background noise while simultaneously increasing sound levels. These devices are useful in smaller spaces where other types of assistive listening systems are unavailable or uncompatible. Amplified sounds from the device can be heard through a receiver in a headset or earbuds.

Amplified phones enable the listener to increase a phone’s volume to hear the speaker and may also include amplified ringtones. Captioned phones provide real-time voice-to-text technology that allows the listener to read the conversation.

IP services enable a person with hearing loss to type messages into a device, such as a smartphone, computer or tablet, and have an intermediary operator read those messages to the person on the other end of the line.

Alerting devices, such as a wearable device, provide tactile feedback like vibrations whenever there is sound the user cannot hear occurring within their vicinity.

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Assistive listening devices help improve quality of life for people with hearing loss, says Susan Yaffe-Oziel, director of the Family Hearing Center in Rockville, Maryland. “Anyone who has difficulty hearing conversations, important environmental sounds [such as traffic] and warning signals like a smoke alarm, can benefit from assistive listening devices,” she says. “These devices allow people with hearing loss to engage in social activities and feel safer in their environment.”

Hearing impairment can cause a variety of psychological problems, including anxiety, depression and social isolation. Hearing loss is also associated with an increased risk of illness, cognitive decline and low levels of happiness. Assistive listening devices can help mitigate some of these risks, allowing people with hearing loss to participate fully in daily activities and maintain their relationships.

Assistive listening devices can be helpful for people with various degrees of hearing loss. For example, a person with very mild hearing loss may benefit from a personal listening technology designed for greater comfort while watching television or an improved ability to have a conversation over the phone. Assistive listening devices can also enhance the use of personal hearing aids and cochlear implants in challenging environments for people with greater degrees of hearing loss. For those with profound or total hearing loss, assistive listening technologies can provide a visual or vibration cue to help detect sounds.

The cost of an assistive listening device can vary depending on the type of device. A personal FM system can cost up to $1,000 while a handheld device like a personal amplifier is likely less expensive, costing about $200.

Are Assistive Listening Devices Covered by Insurance?

Assistive listening devices are not generally covered by health insurance, according to Yaffe-Oziel. “Medicare and some insurance companies cover the cost of a hearing evaluation, but the assistive listening device is usually an out-of-pocket expense for the patient,” she says.

In some cases, people with hearing loss may be eligible for Captioned Telephone Services (CTS). This federally funded device includes a telephone that features a built-in screen that displays real-time text captions from the caller’s side. This phone allows CTS users to listen to and read messages from the other party. The service is provided under Title IV of the Americans with Disabilities Act and available in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Additional information about availability and eligibility can be found at fcc.gov.