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Assistive Technologies for Communication

Assistive Technologies can help people compensate for many limitations.

  • Survivor safety depends on access to equipment that may be lost or destroyed when she is attacked.
  • Legal Requirements call for ‘Effective Communication.’  “Places of public accommodation are required to ensure that customers or clients with disabilities affecting hearing, vision, speech, or cognition are provided with effective communication through auxiliary aids and services that enable them to fully benefit from services, goods, and programs.” Title III Fact Sheet Series: Providing Effective Communication
  • Auxiliary aids and services include a wide range of techniques, some of which the provider is responsible for and others that the provider must expect survivors will use.
  • Assistive devices for hearing are not corrective devices. They assist in improving the communication process only. Hearing Loss Web advises 1,  “Chances are pretty good that the person with hearing loss knows what works and doesn't work for them. They may want to sit at a certain table at a restaurant, have certain people sit in particular places, or have discussions in a specific place. They have good reasons for these choices, even if they can't explain them. If you want to promote communication, accommodate their environmental requests.”
  • Effective outreach will help people who are profoundly deaf or Deaf become more aware of programs and services. Limited outreach may account for infrequent use of DV/SA services by deaf/Deaf women and those with speech limitations. Also, many providers realize that TTY is one of the recommended methods for providing effective communication under the ADA. However, since staff have infrequent opportunity to use TTY equipment, they forget what to do. Lack of consistent use and lack of routine training for staff and volunteers can be a sign to a survivor that her needs are not taken seriously.
  • Writing as a form of communication should only be used when the survivor wants to use it. During a sexual assault examination, a woman may suddenly decide to use a different communication strategy. 2 Her anxiety may limit her ability to discriminate speech and she will require extra time to make sure communications are correct.

Writing notes is not an effective communication strategy during medical examinations.

The "Tech Act"

The Assistive Technology Act of 1988, also known as the “Tech Act” provides funds to states to support three types of programs:

  • the establishment of assistive technology (AT) demonstration centers, information centers, equipment loan facilities, referral services, and other consumer-oriented programs;
  • protection and advocacy services to help people with disabilities and their families, as they attempt to access the services for which they are eligible;
  • Federal/state programs to provide low interest loans and other alternative financing options to help people with disabilities purchase needed assistive technology.

For a list of state projects funded under the Tech Act, visit The Association of Assistive Technology Act Programs This link will open a new browser window.

Replacing Technology

  • In a shelter environment, if a survivor arrives without communications equipment (her assistive technology was either harmed or she made a quick escape and not been able to take it, there is the potential to get an assistive technology loan This link will open a new browser window. in some states. Not all states support short term loan programs.
  • For those states that don't have a program listed with RESNA the best alternative resource would be to go through an Independent Living Center This link will open a new browser window.. Every state has at least one of these.  They would know what local resources exist.

The purpose of the short term loan programs is for a person to test what works best using 30-day trials. Often when a woman needs equipment or her equipment was destroyed it is possible to get a loan to purchase new equipment. These loan programs are understanding of circumstances that may cause a woman to have negative credit and will work with her to help her get her needs met.

Some Representative Assistive Technologies

Assistive Technology is not a static field. The range of available assistive technologies is broad and growing as new technologies are marketed and people find a way to meet a need in a creative way. If you seek information about the existence or availability of a particular device good sources include ABLEDATA This link will open a new browser window., a searchable database of 19,000 devices or Adaptive Computer Products This link will open a new browser window..

Some representative communications devices include:

  • Assistive listening devices that are FM systems or a similar type transmitter in which the provider wears a transmitter and the survivor receives the information (or vice versa if the provider requires one). They are available at RadioShack and other audio equipment vendors. They require that the person speaking be comfortable with personal space – as the receiver will need to be close to the attached transmitter as well.
  • Amplification devices for a telephone help a person with partial hearing loss.
  • TTYs are used by people who have profound hearing loss or who are Deaf and people with speech limitations. It is cheaper to buy a telephone with an integrated TTY than purchase a separate machine. Train all staff and volunteers who use the phone line how to use the TTY. It can be hard for staff to keep in mind that a TTY may come in and be obvious only because there appears to be no one on the line! Accommodation plans should include how future trainings will be carried out as staff and volunteers turnover, or they need a brush-up of skills. Shelters should place a TTY at a private location for use by survivors.
  • Augmentative Communication Devices are used by individuals who cannot talk in a way that is comfortable or easily understandable. These devices may range from elaborate electronic pre-programmed voices (speech synthesizers,such as used by Stephen Hawking, the scientist) to hand-lettered alphabet boards (communication boards)that a allow a person to spell out words. The American Association of Speech and Hearing (ASHA) This link will open a new browser window. has further resources to learn more about this.
  • Individuals with Autism have a range of unique issues. For guidance on working with this population see: Aiding Comprehension of Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders During One-on-One Interactions This link will open a new browser window.

Learn About the Range of Technologies

Despite rapid changes in the quality and availability of assistive technologies, well-developed resources make it easy to learn about other options. Learn about the range of technologies that increase access to your services:

1Hearing Loss Web, 'Effect of the environment on communications for people with hearing loss,' http://www.hearinglossweb.com/