Many Veterans have some level of hearing loss related to their service. That can make using a cell phone or other mobile devices a challenge.

Hearing accessibility on cell phones has come a long way in recent years, with many companies now offering a range of features to help those with hearing loss better use their devices. Following are some of the most common and useful hearing accessibility features found on cell phones today.

• One feature is the ability to adjust the volume of incoming calls, messages, and alerts. This can be especially important for those who have difficulty hearing high-pitched sounds or who are in noisy environments.
• In addition to audio ring tones, most cell phones have a vibrate function and a light that flashes, which can be turned on in accessibility settings. These features alert users to incoming calls or messages.
• Many cell phones come with built speech-to-text capabilities, which can be incredibly useful for those who are deaf or hard of hearing. This feature allows users to have verbal information provided in a written format, making it much easier to stay connected and informed.
• Another useful feature for those with hearing loss is the ability to use closed captions or subtitles when watching videos or TV shows. Many cell phones now have the option to turn on closed captions or subtitles for any video content, which can make it much easier for users to follow along and understand what is being said.
• In addition to these features, there are a number of third-party apps and accessories that can help improve hearing accessibility on cell phones. For example, there are apps that can transcribe phone conversations or speech in real-time, allowing users to read along as words are being spoken. Options available for apps that provide speech-to-text capabilities include Live Transcribe+, Ava: Transcribe Voice to Text, and CaptionCall Mobile. While these apps cannot be endorsed by the Minnesota Commission of the Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing, they are worth a closer look and are free to try. There are also a range of Bluetooth-enabled hearing aids and other assistive devices that can be used with cell phones to improve sound quality and clarity.

In conclusion, there are now several hearing accessibility features available on cell phones that can help those with hearing loss better use their devices and stay connected to the world around them. From adjustable volume and vibrate functions to speech-to-text and closed captions, there are many options.

The Minnesota Department of Human Services, Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services Division has a web page devoted entirely to Veterans experiencing hearing loss for more information about cell phone accessibility settings and other hearing related resources for Veterans,

Submitted by Andrea Riffe, M.Ed., Hard of Hearing Specialist
Minnesota Commission of the Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing