For professional help and advice on tinnitus, or advice on selecting the appropriate Hearing Aid or Digital Hearing Aid , Hearing /Induction Loop, looking for a Hearing Aid Audiologist,  Hearing Test, or if you require any other information, please telephone  free: 0800 034 0294  or e-mail: info@mouseability.co.uk

WELCOME TO THE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING DIVISION OF MOUSEABILITY 

Latest News; Making life easier in The British Sign Language community.

The Highway Code is now available in British Sign Language.

 On the 30th July 2008 The Driving Standard Agency announced the launch of a pack to help British Sign  (BSL) Users to learn the Highway Code. Learning the Highway Code with British Sign Language the official DSA DVD and book pack provides the contents of The Highway Code in BSL by professional signers for the first time. Two DVDs contain all the rules for road users as well as full explanations of signs for warnings, directions, information and roadworks. The pack also includes an official copy of The Highway Code.

The pack can be purchased diectly from The Stationery Office (TSO) priced at £9.99 or by calling our textphone number 0870 240 3701 or telephone number 0870 243 0123 or visit www.tsoshop.co.uk/BSL   

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Information: 

Hearing is one of the most vital,but also most negleted senses.Did you know that nearly 9 million adults in the UK have a hearing problem? Yet over 3 million have not yet sought assistance in the form of a hearing aid and could be enjoying a better quality of life with improved hearing today!

Hearing loss happens gradually and it can take years to even realise and admit to yourself that you have a problem.

For an individual assessment and personal advice we recommend a consultation with a hearing care professional.

If you are interested in a hearing test in the comfort of your own home and would like to book an appointment , please Freephone 0800 034 0294  

for general information on hearing aids, please see below

Information on Hearing Aids:

Analogue and Digital - The Difference: Hearing Aids are described as analogue or digital,depending on the technology they use to process sound. Digital hearing aids are the newest kind of hearing aid. In fact analogue technology is gradually being phased out. However, body-worn aids and some bone conduction types are analogue. YourHearing Aid Audiologist will advise you on the most suitable type for you.

How do Analogue Hearing Aids Work?

Analogue hearing aids have a microphone that picks up sound and converts the sound into small electrical signals. These signals vary according to the pattern of the sound. The signals are then amplified and fed to the earphone on the hearing aid so you can hear them.

Most of the better analogue hearing aids use "automatic gain control." This amplifies quiet sounds until they are loud enough to be heard, but gives less amplification to sounds that are already loud,so you're protected against uncomfortably loud sound levels.

It is important to note that analogue hearing aids don't have all the features that come with advanced digital aids and can't usually be set to suit your individual hearing loss very precisely.

How do Digital Hearing Aids Work?

Digital hearing aids work in a different way.They take a signal from the microphone and convert it into "bits"of data - numbers that can be manipulated by a tiny computer in the hearing aid. This makes it possible to tailor and process sounds very precisely,in ways that are impossible with analogue aids.

The better digital aids can be very finely adjusted to suit your individual needs.You may be able to switch between different settings suitable for different listening conditions. Many digital hearing aids even adjust themselves automatically to suit different sound environments.

How Long Will You Wait For Your Digital Aid?

Before the NHS began modernising its hearing aid services in 2002,it offered only analogue aids - outdated compared with the digital aids only available from the private sector.

Hearing Concern carried out a survey to establish how long it took to get a new digital hearing aid.

On average those who choose the NHS wait 41 weeks to see a specialist for the first time and a further 21 weeks before receiving a hearing aid - a total of 62 weeks!

For more informaton on hearing aids and to find a Hearing Aid Audiologist,or hearing aid dispenser that we recommend, please Freephone 0800 034 0294 or search our directory.

Providing Access to Communication in English for Deaf People:

• Your rights to communication support under the DDA.

The majority of deaf, deafened and hard of hearing people in the United Kingdom have English as their first or preferred language. In order to be able to participate in situations such as doctor's appointments, education, courts and tribunals, you may need one or more forms of appropriate communication support.

However, are you aware that you are entitled to have communication support provided? Even when communication support is requested, service providers often either refuse to provide it or offer the wrong type of support.

Types of communication support. 

• Verbatim speech-to-text reporters use a phonetic keyboard to provide a real-time transcript of the meeting on a computer monitor or projected onto a screen.
• Electronic note takers type using a conventional keyboard. They condense what is being said into notes for the deaf person to read on screen or in Braille.
• Manual note takers take notes in settings such as education and meetings for the deaf person to read at the time or later.
• Lipspeakers silently reproduce the shape of words, rhythm and stress to make lipreading easier.
• Deafblind manual interpreters spell words into a deafblind person's hand using the deafblind manual alphabet or the block alphabet.
• Cued Speech transliterators use lip patterns together with eight handshapes in four positions near the mouth, to give a visual representation of spoken language, sound-for sound.

 Are You Profoundly Deaf?

The objective of MouseAbility is to influence society and in particular businesses and help them become more aware about the Deaf Community and Deaf culture. 


Are You Hard of Hearing?

MouseAbility recognises that many Hard of Hearing people do not consider themselves to be part of the Deaf World and in many cases may only have a mild hearing loss.

This section provides online information for Hard of Hearing people with links to a wide range of specialist companies who provide hearing equipment.

Whatever type of advice, service or product you are seeking you will find it here. e.g. amplifiers,textphones, door bells, hearing aids, digital hearing aids, infrared systems, loops, pagers, smoke alarms,fire alarms for the hard of hearing,fire alarms for the deaf, text phones or ancilliary products, please search our Directory for all your hearing products and hearing equipment requirements. 

We also have a network of Hearing Aid Audiologists, who can help with ringing in the ears, or noises in the ear.

This is commonly known as tinnitus. For information on tinnitus or any other hearing problems please Freephone 0800 034 0294 

Examples of the services Mouseability Can Offer and Recommend:

Hearing Protectors for Musicians 

hearing protectors, hearing protection systems, hearing protection products, hearing protection services, ear plugs, ear protection products,in the ear monitors.

All the above products and sevices are particularly vital for musicians.

hearing protectors for musicians, ear plugs for musicians,ear protectors and generally ear protection products are certainly products that musicians should consider.

SPECIAL HELP LINE:     Freephone  0800 034 0294   or e-mail: info@mouseability.co.uk

hearing aid audiologists throughout the Uk are available through our website.

Free hearing tests are available nationwide and hearing aids are available at very competitive prices.

hearing aids, digital hearing aids and a selection of private hearing aids can be fitted by our recommended hearing aid audiologists.