Deaf and hard of hearing students at BC Family Hearing Resource Society (BCFHRS) are the first in the province to access the latest state-of-the-art hearing system, thanks to the help of the Surrey Firefighters Charitable Society (SFFCS).
Earlier this year, the company Phonak, a worldwide manufacturer of pediatric hearing technology, released Roger, a new digital wireless hearing system.
Roger enhances the learning experience for children with a cochlear implant or hearing device by overcoming classroom noise and making it easier to understand the teacher.
“For students with hearing loss, background noise is a challenge in the classroom,” said BCFHRS Executive Director Dr. Noreen Simmons.
“We offer a number of specialized group programs at our Centre for preschool aged children so it is imperative that we give our students the best technology. Technology changes very quickly and we are very pleased to work with the Surrey Fire Fighters Charitable Society to help us bring the latest technology to our students.”
The Roger system uses digital wireless technology to transmit the teacher’s voice directly to the student. The teacher uses a wireless microphone and a digital wireless receiver discretely connects to the student’s hearing device or cochlear implant.
The result is students are able to better hear and understand the teacher in a noisy environment.
“The preschool years are a critical time for the development of language and listening skills,” Simmons added. “This new technology will greatly benefit our young students.”
“We have been supporting BCFHRS and their work with deaf and hard of hearing children for over a decade now,” says Mike McNamara, president of the SFFCS. “We have seen firsthand how children have benefited from our support and we are honored to make another valuable contribution this year.”
For more information about the services and programs offered by BCFHRS, call 604-584-2827 or visit www.bcfamilyhearing.com/