#hearbrazil
Wireless microphone systems make learning easier
Almost half of all patients with hearing loss treated in the state of Pernambuco in north-eastern Brazil are schoolchildren. Although they are provided with wireless microphone systems thanks to a government program, these rarely get used, often because teachers are not familiar with them. Training is now being provided to help them.
Place & Year
Project Partners
Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Speech Therapy DepartmentSupport
Main Focus
The Federal University of Pernambuco specializes in treating people with hearing loss. For ten years now, Brazilians who suffer from a hearing impairment have not had to pay for hearing aids – a huge step forward in a country where poor people were previously unable to afford hearing aids and additional devices such as wireless microphone systems. In spite of this, however, the problems experienced by children with hearing loss have not gone away. In particular, not enough use is being made of wireless microphone systems, which are designed to make it easier for the children concerned to follow their lessons, because teachers do not have the technical knowledge needed to use them properly.
Training program for teachers
In an effort to solve this problem, four teams from the Federal University are training teachers in the local region in how to handle the wireless microphone systems. As well as explaining the benefits of wireless microphone systems technology, the trainers also show the teachers how the systems can be used in practice. The Hear the World Foundation is supporting this project financially and providing wireless microphone systems for training purposes. The long-term goal is for teachers who are confident in using the systems to pass on their knowledge to their colleagues.