Have hearing loss? Try out free amplified phones, other equipment

Schaumburg Township Disability Services is a selection center to test free amplified phones and other equipment through the Illinois Telecommunications Access Program.

Illinois Telecommunications Access Corporation offers free equipment to Illinois residents who are deaf, deaf blind, hard of hearing or speech disabled. Staff in the township's Disability Services Department provide free demonstrations, and those interested can complete a test call to see which equipment is best for them.

Testing is available on a walk-in basis from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; though appointments are encouraged.

ITAC offers five amplified phones, two cellphone amplifiers and captioned phones. ITAC also recently added the Apple iPad with Augmentative and Alternative Communication Apps to help individuals with speech disabilities communicate.

To be eligible for the program, you must be a resident of Illinois, have active phone service (home, cellular, prepaid) and have a physician certification stating on the application that you are unable to use standard phone services.

To qualify for the iPad with AAC apps, certification of the applicant's speech disability from a speech language pathologist is required on the application.

Applications are available at Schaumburg Township by calling (847) 285-4541 or online at schaumburgtownship.org.

There are no age or income requirements. ITAC programs are funded by a charge on participating companies' landline and cellphone lines.

Clients are eligible for one free piece of equipment every three years and can keep the equipment they already have.

Call (847)-285-4541 for information or for an appointment to test the free ITAC equipment. To request a demonstration at a senior living center, church, school or other venue, contact Lauren Ewan, assistant director of Disability Services, at (847) 285-4541 or lewan@schaumburgtownship.org.