The Benefits of Installing Hearing Enhancement Systems in Schools and Universities

When planning renovations or restructuring for a school or university, one should consider installing a Hearing Enhancement System. This system operates in the background and increases the clarity and quality of an input sound source for individuals who use a personal hearing aid or device with a built-in telecoil feature.

How can this be advantageous for school systems?

Institutions like NTU, SMU, Singapore Polytechnic, and The Canadian International School have used loop systems. They can be installed in public spaces and rooms to meet specific needs. Hearing loops are often the most efficient option as they help reduce background noise while allowing students with hearing impairment to be part of the same environment as everyone else. This results in improved clarity while ensuring that speakers wouldn't have to strain their voices and everyone experiences a more nurturing atmosphere - enabling students with hearing impairment to learn with fewer disruptions and can better understand what is being taught.

Hearing Enhancement Systems play a crucial role in the education sector, where many may experience hearing loss. The two main types of Systems are personal hearing aids and FM systems. The latter uses a neckloop that receives FM signals from a transmitter such as a Teacher's Microphone or an audio source from a Line Input. And then into currents that travel through the neckloop—creating a magnetic field which then induces the telecoils in hearing aids, enabling the individual to hear what everyone else hears during lectures given by the presenter.

How does it work?

A hearing loop, an induction loop or T-Loop, is a technology designed to enhance the audio experience for individuals with hearing impairments. It transmits a sound source directly to a hearing aid, eliminating background noise or acoustic distortion.

When selecting a hearing loop solution, it is essential to consider the type of environment the institution will use it. For example, an area coverage solution is required in an ample public space such as an auditorium or theatre when a lecturer interacts with a group of people. A service point solution is necessary if the school uses it at a service point, such as a retail counter or reception desk, where there is a direct line of communication between the hearing aid user and counter staff.

The following information is essential to determine the ideal solution for a specific area:

• The venue's area coverage and dimensions: the size of the room will affect the power needed to drive the hearing loop effectively and provide quality, consistent and clear coverage for hearing aid users.
• The floor construction: metal elements such as beams or even rebar in the floor or ceiling structure can have a minor or significant impact on the signal levels and cause variations in the audio clarity. Hence, to overcome this challenge, the space may need a MultiLoop system to correct this.
• Regarding adjacency or privacy: a perimeter loop tends to spill over into adjacent areas, such as neighbouring classrooms or rooms where one's privacy is desired. This should be taken into consideration when selecting a hearing loop solution.

Check this video: How Hearing Loops Work, to learn more about how they work. The Hearing Enhancement System by the Listening Lab is the appointed sole distributor of Ampertronic products in Singapore and Malaysia for the South East Asia Region.

Convenient places for installation in schools

A hearing enhancement system for the general public makes schools more inclusive for guests and students. Therefore, lecture halls, gymnasiums, and auditoriums are the best places where Hearing Enhancement Systems would install hearing loop systems. Institutions can utilise Hearing Loop solutions during events and assemblies, such that individuals who use hearing assistive devices can enjoy the moment without having to stand close to an audio output like speakers or being left out and constantly look out for assistance.

It is also convenient to install at cashiers or public service counters to improve sound clarity even with heavy background noise. The counter staff will be able to communicate with the hearing aid user via a dedicated microphone which will transmit the signal without disruption from the background noise. This counter loop system is also effective when communication is done between a glass window if there is one.

The Hearing Enhancement System by the Listening Lab designs and builds low-spill multiloops that equip communication privacy within a defined area required by clients. This guarantees that rooms that need to be hearing-aid friendly can also be secure for the specified audience. We offer multiloops which provide communication privacy within selected areas, ensuring that rooms with hearing accessibility remain safe for their end users.

The Hearing Enhancement System by the Listening Lab offers comprehensive solutions for any environment. Schools are constantly battling the challenges of inclusivity for the deaf and hard of hearing, and having a quality and professional solution service is a way to address that. For more installation information and or quotations, you may call us to inquire further.