Hear2day

08/06/2026

If anyone has an enquiry regarding hearing loss and/or assistive devices, please contact Michele Tonks from the National Council of and for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD) via email [email protected]

Don't have access to email? --> You're welcome to ask Candice Marais any questions privately via facebook messenger and I will just forward to Michele on your behalf and revert back to you with some feedback

Email failing to go through? - Just contact Candice privately via messenger and we will give you another email address that will receive the mail and from there we will forward to Michele

National Council of and for Persons with Disabilities
Talking Deaf Kid
Brunhild Strauss
APD Limpopo Eeufeeshuis
APD Benede Oranje - Association of & for Persons with Disabilities
Western Cape Association of and for Persons with Disabilities
Association For and Of Persons with Disabilities O.R TAMBO
Helderberg APD
Association for Persons with Disabilities APD Oudtshoorn
Ahlad (Association for Hearing Loss Accessibility & Development)
Knysna APD - Association for Persons with Disabilities
Tygerberg Association for Persons with Physical Disabilities

An FM system is like a tiny radio station with its own frequency. It has two parts: a microphone and a receiver. The speaker wears the microphone which sends a signal to a receiver, which can be headphones or hearing aids. The system allows the speaker's voice to go directly to the person with hearing loss, without background noise, making it easier to hear.

These are ideal for classrooms, lecture rooms, conferences and other situations where one person speaks to a group, but they are also valuable in one-to-one communication.



ID: A branded image showing 2 parts of an FM system on the left, and an image on the right showing a white-heaired man wearing a neck loop and holding the FM system while others look on. Across the top in a light blue block is "FM systems" in dark blue text. At the bottom to the left is NCPD's logo and to the right is white text "Hearing aids" on a light blue stripe, with a white strip containing all NCPD project logos below that.

08/06/2026

If anyone has an enquiry regarding hearing loss, assistive devices or reasonable accommodation, please contact Michele Tonks from the National Council of and for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD) via email [email protected]

Email not going thru? --> You're welcome let Candice Marais know privately via facebook messenger and we will provide you with another email to try and have your mail forwarded from there to Michele

National Council of and for Persons with Disabilities
Talking Deaf Kid
Brunhild Strauss
APD Limpopo Eeufeeshuis
APD Benede Oranje - Association of & for Persons with Disabilities
Western Cape Association of and for Persons with Disabilities
Association For and Of Persons with Disabilities O.R TAMBO
Helderberg APD
Knysna APD - Association for Persons with Disabilities
Ahlad (Association for Hearing Loss Accessibility & Development)
Association for Persons with Disabilities APD Oudtshoorn
Tygerberg Association for Persons with Physical Disabilities

“Never mind.”

Two words most deaf and hard of hearing people know too well.

Sometimes all we need is a little patience.

Not eye rolls.

Not frustration.

Not giving up after repeating something once.

Because constantly trying to hear, lipread, process sound and keep up can already feel exhausting enough.

Accessibility should never feel like a burden 💜

A little patience can make someone feel included instead of isolated.

Please remember:

Repeating yourself is a small effort.
Feeling left out stays with us much longer.

(Please don’t remove my page credit when sharing.

All of these posts are my own ideas, experiences, and awareness content, with help of AI to bring my ideas to life visually. A lot of time, thought and emotion goes into creating them.

Keeping my page name attached helps show where the content came from, helps people find my page, support it, and continue spreading deaf/hard of hearing awareness 💜)

08/06/2026

TOPIC: Disability rights are about removing barriers, not policing identities

LINK: https://ncpd.org.za/remove-barriers-not-policing-identities/

If you have any enquiries about "hearing loss", "reasonable accommodation" or "assistive devices", please contact Michele Tonks from The National Council of and for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD) via email: [email protected]

NOTE: If you're having "trouble" trying to email the above mentioned, please "contact" Candice Marais via "private message" and from there Candice will give you another email address to try

National Council of and for Persons with Disabilities
Talking Deaf Kid
Brunhild Strauss
Hear2day
Western Cape Association of and for Persons with Disabilities
Association For and Of Persons with Disabilities O.R TAMBO
APD Limpopo Eeufeeshuis
APD Benede Oranje - Association of & for Persons with Disabilities
Helderberg APD
Ahlad (Association for Hearing Loss Accessibility & Development)
Tygerberg Association for Persons with Physical Disabilities

Disability rights are about removing barriers, not policing identities! It is inaccurate to equate a legal and policy-recognised term such as hearing impairment with outdated and offensive labels such as deaf-mute or deaf and dumb. These terms have entirely different histories, meanings, and purpose...

04/06/2026

If anyone has an enquiry regarding hearing loss and/or assistive devices, please contact Michele Tonks from the National Council of and for Persons with Disabilities **(NCPD)** via** email** [email protected]

**Don't have access to email? -->** You're welcome to ask Candice Marais any questions privately via facebook messenger and I will just forward to Michele on your behalf and revert back to you with some feedback

**Email failing to go through? -** Just contact Candice privately via messenger and she will communicate with you and share your information to Michele

National Council of and for Persons with Disabilities

Talking Deaf Kid

Brunhild Strauss

Association of and for Persons with Disabilities FS - APD FS

APD Limpopo Eeufeeshuis

Gauteng Provincial Association for Persons with Disabilities - GPAPD

APD Benede Oranje - Association of & for Persons with Disabilities

Western Cape Association of and for Persons with Disabilities

Association For and Of Persons with Disabilities O.R TAMBO

Helderberg APD

Association of and for Persons with Disabilities

Global Peer Support Network

South African Hearing Institute (SAHI)

Hear2day

Ahlad (Association for Hearing Loss Accessibility & Development)

Mossel Bay Association of and for Persons with Disabilities

Tygerberg Association for Persons with Physical Disabilities

Hearing Loss Live

An induction loop is a special type of sound system for use by people using hearing devices. The loop provides a magnetic, wireless signal that is picked up by the hearing aid when it is set to ‘T’ (Telecoil) setting.

It consists of a microphone to pick up the spoken word; an amplifier which processes the signal which is then sent through the final piece; the loop cable, a wire placed around the perimeter of a specific area i.e. a meeting room, a church etc. to act as an antenna that radiates the magnetic signal to the hearing aid.

How does an induction loop work?
1. Person speaks into a microphone
2. Current is amplified and sent to a magnetic cable loop surrounding the listeners, creating a zone.
3. A magnetic field delivers the amplified, high-quality signal to the listener’s hearing aid.

Induction loops come in many sizes, from ones made for large spaces to small ones that fit around one's neck.


ID: A branded image showing a diagram of an induction loop system in a meeting room, with pictogram instructions on how to use along the bottom. In the top left corner is the international sign (a bright blue square containing a white ear with a white stripe diagonally through it, and a T in the corner) indicating that the venue is looped. Across the top in a light blue block is "Assistive devices" in dark blue text. At the bottom to the left is NCPD's logo and to the right is white text "Induction loop system" on a light blue stripe, with a white strip containing all NCPD project logos below that.

02/06/2026

If anyone has an enquiry regarding hearing loss and/or assistive devices, please contact Michele Tonks from the National Council of and for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD) via email [email protected]
Don't have access to email? --> You're welcome to ask Candice Marais any questions privately via facebook messenger and I will just forward to Michele on your behalf and revert back to you with some feedback
Email failing to go through? - Just contact Candice privately via messenger and she will communicate with you and share your information to Michele
National Council of and for Persons with Disabilities
Talking Deaf Kid
Brunhild Strauss
APD Limpopo Eeufeeshuis
APD Benede Oranje - Association of & for Persons with Disabilities
Western Cape Association of and for Persons with Disabilities
Association For and Of Persons with Disabilities O.R TAMBO
Helderberg APD
Knysna APD - Association for Persons with Disabilities
Ahlad (Association for Hearing Loss Accessibility & Development)
Association for Persons with Disabilities APD Oudtshoorn
Tygerberg Association for Persons with Physical Disabilities

A Bone-Anchored Hearing Aid is also surgically implanted behind the ear, but it bypasses the ear canal and middle ear by transmitting sound vibrations through the skull bones to the inner ear.

A BAHA consists of a titanium implant that is placed in the skull bone behind the ear, an abutment which is a small connector that attaches to the implant, and a external sound processor that picks up sound, converts ir to vibrations and sends it through the abutment to the implant, which in turn sends it via bone conduction to the inner ear.

Fanie du Toit

ID: A branded image showing the back of a young woman's head with a BAHA behind her ear. Across the top in a light blue block is "Assistive devices" in dark blue text. At the bottom to the left is NCPD's logo and to the right is white text "Bone anchored hearing aid" on a light blue stripe, with "BAHA" in a short blue block above that. A white strip containing all NCPD project logos lies below that.

29/05/2026

If anyone has an enquiry regarding hearing loss, assistive devices or reasonable accommodation, please contact Michele Tonks from the National Council of and for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD) via email [email protected]

Don't have access to email? --> You're welcome to ask Candice Marais any questions privately via facebook messenger and I will just forward to Michele on your behalf and revert back to you with some feedback

National Council of and for Persons with Disabilities
Talking Deaf Kid
Brunhild Strauss
APD Limpopo Eeufeeshuis
APD Benede Oranje - Association of & for Persons with Disabilities
Western Cape Association of and for Persons with Disabilities
Association For and Of Persons with Disabilities O.R TAMBO
Helderberg APD
Knysna APD - Association for Persons with Disabilities
Ahlad (Association for Hearing Loss Accessibility & Development)
Association for Persons with Disabilities APD Oudtshoorn
Tygerberg Association for Persons with Physical Disabilities

That pause you’re about to scroll past?

That’s listening.

He’s not sad.
He’s not overwhelmed.
He’s not “struggling.”

“I hear that,” he says
the sound of raindrops on the window pane.

And right there, learning happens.

Sound first.
Then the word.
Then the sound again.

Rain.
Raindrop.
Rain.

That’s sandwiching.

His brain has separated the sound,
attached meaning to it,
and linked it to spoken language.

The stillness you see
the hand to the ear
isn’t hesitation.

It’s processing.

This is how listening and spoken language develops with cochlear implants and hearing aids
Not through pressure.
Not through drilling.
But through everyday real life moments
layered with language.

We hear the sound together
We name it clearly.
We repeat it in context.

Quietly.
Naturally.
Again and again.

That’s sandwiching.

It builds listening skills.
It builds vocabulary.
It builds understanding.

And it doesn’t need to be loud.
Or rushed.
Or perfect.

Sometimes, learning looks exactly like this:
calm, focused, and quiet.

Not everything powerful is loud.
Not every pause needs fixing.

Sometimes, it’s full of learning.

Access is good input,
repeated well,
with time and respect.

©Talking Deaf Kid, 2026

28/05/2026

If anyone has an enquiry regarding hearing loss and/or assistive devices, please contact Michele Tonks from the National Council of and for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD) via email [email protected]

Don't have access to email? --> You're welcome to ask Candice Marais any questions privately via facebook messenger and I will just forward to Michele on your behalf and revert back to you with some feedback

Email failing to go through? - Just contact Candice privately via messenger and she will communicate with you and share your information to Michele

National Council of and for Persons with Disabilities
Talking Deaf Kid
Brunhild Strauss
APD Limpopo Eeufeeshuis
APD Benede Oranje - Association of & for Persons with Disabilities
Association For and Of Persons with Disabilities O.R TAMBO
Helderberg APD
Western Cape Association of and for Persons with Disabilities
Ahlad (Association for Hearing Loss Accessibility & Development)
Association for Persons with Disabilities APD Oudtshoorn
Tygerberg Association for Persons with Physical Disabilities

Cochlear implants are a wonder of technology, and is the only device that can come close to simulating normal hearing. They are used for individuals who have severe to profound sensorineural damage to the cochlea, according to strict criteria, so may not be the correct solution for everyone.

It is essentially a tiny electronic device that is surgically implanted into the inner ear (cochlear) to bypass damaged hair cells and stimulate the hearing nerve. There are 2 parts : an external processor and internal implant. The external processor is worn over the ear which picks up sound and converts it into digital codes, which are sent through the skull to the internal implant placed surgically under the skin behind the ear. Electrical impulses are sent to an electrode array implanted in the cochlear, which directly triggers the auditory nerve.


ID: A branded image showing the side of woman's head with a cream coloured cochlear implant. Across the top in a light blue block is "Assistive devices" in dark blue text. At the bottom to the left is NCPD's logo and to the right is white text "Cochlear implants" on a light blue stripe, with a white strip containing all NCPD project logos below that.

27/05/2026

If anyone has an enquiry regarding hearing loss, assistive devices, please contact Michele Tonks from the National Council of and for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD) via email [email protected]

Don't have access to email? --> You're welcome to ask Candice Marais any questions privately via facebook messenger and I will just forward to Michele on your behalf and revert back to you with some feedback

Email failing to go through? - Just contact Candice privately via messenger and she will communicate with you and share your information to Michele

National Council of and for Persons with Disabilities
Talking Deaf Kid
Brunhild Strauss
APD Limpopo Eeufeeshuis
APD Benede Oranje - Association of & for Persons with Disabilities
Western Cape Association of and for Persons with Disabilities
Helderberg APD
Association For and Of Persons with Disabilities O.R TAMBO
Hear2day
Ahlad (Association for Hearing Loss Accessibility & Development)
Association for Persons with Disabilities APD Oudtshoorn
Tygerberg Association for Persons with Physical Disabilities

There are many assistive devices for individuals who have hearing loss, divided into hearing devices, assistive listening devices, and living devices. Be sure to follow our series of posts with information on these different devices.

We'll begin with hearing devices, of which there are 3 types :
- hearing aids
- cochlear implants
- bone-Anchored Hearing Aids (BAHA)

Hearing aids are small devices that range from tiny ones that fit into your ear canal, to large ones that rest behind your ear with a small pipe running into your ear with a mould on the end that fits neatly into your ear. The hearing aid detects sound and sends it directly to your eardrum, amplifying the sound to a level that you can hear. Hearing aids are used for conductive hearing loss, where the sound struggles to get from the outside of the ear through to the inner ear.


ID: A branded image showing the back of a young black man's head, pointing to a small silver hearing aid behind his ear. Across the top in a light blue block is "Assistive devices" in dark blue text. At the bottom to the left is NCPD's logo and to the right is white text "Hearing aids" on a light blue stripe, with a white strip containing all NCPD project logos below that.

26/05/2026

* Date: Wednesday, 3 June 2026
* Time: 18:00
* Where: Pellissier Gemeente, Bloemfontein

Get your tickets here: https://tickets.tixsa.co.za/event/jannie-en-vriende-bfn

Featuring performances by Ella Kotze, Riaan Naudé, Chanie Jonker, Anton Esterhuyse, Martinette Spoelstra and Eduplus Seniorkoor.

National Council of and for Persons with Disabilities

25/05/2026

If anyone has an enquiry regarding hearing loss, assistive devices or reasonable accommodation, please contact Michele Tonks from the National Council of and for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD) via email [email protected]

Don't have access to email? --> You're welcome to ask me any questions privately via facebook messenger and I will just forward to Michele on your behalf and revert back to you with some feedback

National Council of and for Persons with Disabilities
Talking Deaf Kid
APD Limpopo Eeufeeshuis
APD George
APD Benede Oranje - Association of & for Persons with Disabilities
Western Cape Association of and for Persons with Disabilities
Association For and Of Persons with Disabilities O.R TAMBO
Helderberg APD
Association for Persons with Disabilities APD Oudtshoorn