Two significant bills relating to hearing technology and supports are now law in the US, thanks to personal accounts from people directly affected.
The first bill, influenced by an 11-year-old girl, ensures that deaf and hard-of-hearing students in schools across Connecticut state have an individual education plan, support and hearing assistance devices for their educations.
Read: Eleven-year-old girl helps to pass new schools law
Separately, a mother of twins in Massachusetts state, successfully got a bill passed, requiring health insurance firms to provide up to $2,000 to cover new hearing aids for children 21 years old and younger, every 36 months.
Read: Newton mom’s hearing-aid bill signed into law
The twins’ mother highlighted that children with hearing issues have a small window to develop spoken language, and access to hearing-aids would save the state money, over time. Two of her sons (one twin, and an older brother) testified with other children at the bill’s hearing in May 2011.
Further Reading
- Newton mom lobbying for insurance coverage of hearing-aids (June 2011)
- The Effective Use of IEPs in Irish Classrooms
- The Visiting Teacher Service: Background Details
- Communication Technology Solutions – By Design
- Advice On FM Systems ‘Versus’ Soundfields
- Good Acoustics In Schools Make Listening Easier
