A hearing loss caused by a physical condition in contrast to a Functional Hearing Loss.

Same as Oral Interpreter.

A professional interpreter who sits facing a person with hearing loss while silently repeating/rephrasing what a speaker is saying using good lip/facial movements and modifying some difficult-to-see words to make it easier of the hard of hearing person to speechread.

An approach based on the principle that most hard of hearing and deaf people can be taught to listen and speak with early intervention and consistent training to develop their hearing potential. The goal is for these children to grow up to become independent, participating citizens in mainstream society. Also known as Auditory-Oral Education.

A digital hearing aid that can be set for different hearing losses and also has he potential to be reprogrammed to code or filter speech in ways that may not even have been invented yet.

Hearing aids that use open fit ear molds. These ear molds fit loosely in the ear canal and thus permit natural sounds to enter and the louder low frequency sounds from the hearing aid to escape thus preventing the distorted and muffled occlusion effect.