The following websites provide information about this new technology. Implantable hearing aids are designed for people with a sensorineural hearing moderately severe to severe who are unable to benefit adequately from conventional hearing aids.
Telecoils are a mechanism inside the hearing aid that enables the hearing aid to be used directly with hearing-aid compatible telephones and most assistive listening devices. More information about telecoils is available on the following websites:
National Cued Speech Association: Advocacy organization that focuses on outreach, family and educator support, as well as community-based education in the form of Cue Camps and sponsored workshops.
Minnesota Association of Deaf Citizens: Advocacy to preserve, protect and promote American Sign Language and political, educational, economic and social equality for deaf Minnesotans.
DeafBlind Services MN: Community of services, skills and support for people with vision loss.
Minnesota DeafBlind Association: Information, education, advocacy and other services to people who are deafblind, family members, parents of deafblind children, allies and professionals.
National Consortium on DeafBlind: National technical assistance center funded by the federal Department of Education to improve the quality of life for children who are deafblind and their families.
State Services for the Blind: Tools, training and technology to help people who are blind, visually impaired, deafblind or experiencing vision loss to live independently and to prepare for, find and keep a job.
ADA Amendment Act (ADAAA)
The ADA Amendment Act makes important changes to the definition of the term "disability."
Title I - Employment
Employers with 15 or more employees may not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities. Employers must reasonably accommodate the disabilities of qualified applicants or employees, unless undue hardship would result.
For more information about Title I, contact the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission at 800-669-4000 (voice) or
800-669-6820 (TTY).
Title II - State and local governments
No qualified individual with a disability shall, by reason of such disability, be excluded from participation in or be denied the benefits of the services, programs or activities of a public entity, or be subjected to discrimination by any such entity.
Title III - Public accommodations
Public accommodations, such as restaurants, hotels, theaters, doctor's offices, retail stores, museums, libraries, parks, private schools and day care centers, may not discriminate on the basis of disability.
For more information about Titles II or III of the ADA or to order technical assistance materials, call the U.S. Department of Justice at 800-514-0301 (voice), 800-514-0383 (TTY) or the Great Lakes ADA Center at 800-949-4232 (voice/TTY), www.adagreatlakes.org for Titles I-V.
This Title V Section requires federal contractors and subcontractors with government contracts in excess of $10,000 to take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities.
This Title V Section provides that qualified individuals with disabilities shall not be excluded from, be denied access to or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity that receives Federal financial assistance.
To learn more, contact the:
U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights
800-421-3481 (voice)
877-521-2172 (TTY)
ocr@ed.gov
The Region V office in Chicago
312-886-2359 (voice)
312-353-5693 (TTY)
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights
800-368-1019
800-527-7697 (V/TTY)
ocrmail@hhs.gov
The Minnesota Department of Human Rights protects persons in Minnesota from discrimination because of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, disability and age in connection with employment, housing, public accommodations, public services and education.
ECHO Emergency and Community Health Outreach produces monthly public TV shows on Channel 17. These shows address health and safety issues for limited English proficiency populations.
Family Support Connection - MN Hands and Voices: Information and support to families of deaf and hard of hearing children. It includes a list of current events, a directory of local and national organizations and information about their lending library.
Minnesota Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Network: Network to help ensure that young children who have hearing loss are able to maximize their communication and learning potential, regardless of the degree of their hearing loss and that each family receives the quality, individualized supports and services they need to help their child grow and learn.
Minnesota Newborn Screening Program: Together with hospitals, laboratories and medical professionals across the state, this program screens newborns for more than 50 disorders that affect metabolism, hormones, the immune system, blood, breathing, digestion, hearing or the heart.
American Academy of Audiology: Hearing care services through professional development, education, research and increased public awareness of hearing and balance disorders.
Federal Communications Commission: Independent U.S. government agency overseen by Congress, the commission is the United States' primary authority for communications law, regulation and technological innovation.
Hearing Health Foundation: Hearing research with a mission to prevent and cure hearing loss and tinnitus through research.
Hearing Loss Association of America: Resources for people with hearing loss and their families to learn how to adjust to living with hearing loss.
Hearing Loss Matters: Resources developed by the Minnesota Commission of Deaf, Deafblind & Hard of Hearing Minnesotans for Minnesotans experiencing age-related hearing loss.
Minnesota Hands and Voice: Support services to families of children who have been recently identified as deaf or hard of hearing as well as families farther along in their journey.
