Here’s a look at a selection of phone captioning products available to open up the lines of communication for audiology clients.

CapTel Captioned Telephone

1-800-233-9130; CapTel@CapTel.com; www.CapTel.com

The inventor of captioned telephones, CapTel shows captions of what a caller says, empowering people with hearing loss to enjoy talking on the phone again with confidence. CapTel offers multiple phones—traditional models and touch screen options, using high speed Internet or analog phone lines—giving users control of how calls are captioned, either automatically or with assisted captions. All CapTel phones caption answering machine and voice mail messages, include a powerful speakerphone for “hands free” calling, and provide 24/7 one-touch help. Most importantly, CapTel enables people to re-connect over the phone. Assembled in USA.

ClearCaptions

888-870-8114; hcp@clearcaptions.com; clearcaptions.com/providers

Hearing loss can make phone calls with loved ones difficult, but what if you could see every word they say, as they say it? The ClearCaptions Phone provides near real-time phone captioning services for the hard of hearing at no cost to eligible individuals. So they can stay connected to those who matter most. Features include:

• Word-for word captions of conversations

• Easy-to-use phone with touchscreen display

• Large buttons and speakerphone amplification

• Free in-home installation, training, and support

ClearCaptions is available in the United States and its territories only

FEDERAL LAW PROHIBITS ANYONE BUT REGISTERED USERS WITH HEARING LOSS FROM USING INTERNET PROTOCOL (IP) CAPTIONED TELEPHONES WITH THE CAPTIONS TURNED ON.

IP Captioned Telephone Service may use a live operator. The operator generates captions of what the other party to the call says. These captions are then sent to your phone. There is a cost for each minute of captions generated, paid from a federally administered fund. No costs are passed along to individuals who qualify for the service.

Hamilton CapTel

877-455-4227; info@hamiltoncaptel.com; www.hamiltoncaptel.com

Since 2003, Hamilton CapTel has made more than 400 million captioned telephone conversations possible for individuals with hearing loss, providing the ability to listen and read captions of what’s said over the phone. Whether looking for a traditional telephone experience, an option for at work, or a mobile app for on-the-go—Hamilton CapTel solutions offer clarity, confidence, and independence. Learn more at HamiltonCapTel.com

InnoCaption

support@innocaption.com; www.innocaption.com

InnoCaption is a free, FCC-certified mobile app that provides real-time captions for phone calls, empowering individuals with hearing loss to communicate with confidence. Users can choose between live stenographers or automated speech recognition—switching modes even mid-call. Designed for ease and independence, the app also features call forwarding, visual voicemail, saved transcripts, and Bluetooth hearing aid compatibility. InnoCaption helps bridge communication gaps, making phone calls more accessible, reliable, and stress-free.

Nagish

833-362-4474; hello@nagish.com; www.nagish.com

Certified by the FCC, Nagish captions phone calls in real time and makes it easy to communicate using text or voice. It’s designed to be fast, private, and accurate. The free AI-powered app captions calls and in-person conversations with no time limits and allows users to keep their existing phone number.

Featured image: ID 98363270 © Syda Productions | Dreamstime.com

By Andy Lundin

Phone captioning solutions provide a unique but still essential way for many individuals with hearing loss to communicate over long distances. These services work by converting spoken words into text that appears on a screen (e.g. a smartphone device), enabling users to follow conversations in real time.

Beyond their obvious accessibility benefits, research shows captioning solutions also offer other significant advantages to patients who use them, including positive impacts on mental health, such as reduced listening fatigue.¹ Many individuals with hearing loss can access captioning services at no cost, thanks to a federally managed program established under the Americans with Disabilities Act, which champions equal access to telecommunications for all.

Despite their transformative potential for individuals with hearing loss, these solutions can be misunderstood and therefore underutilized by patients. While phone captioning technology continues to be a valuable tool in an audiologist’s arsenal and has evolved alongside advancements like AI, challenges still hinder its broader adoption for improved accessibility and communication.

Phone Captioning on the Smartphone

The range of phone captioning technologies, which once focused on landline devices, have significantly evolved with the advent of smartphones, offering easier access to advanced accessibility features that can make communication easier for individuals with hearing challenges, no matter where they are located. Unlike landline captioned telephones, which are limited to use in a stationary location, smartphone captioning apps allow users to access this technology anywhere, ensuring greater flexibility and convenience.

However, for less tech-savvy patients who aren’t privy to these newer forms of technology, audiologists play a crucial role in keeping them abreast of the latest advancements.

“Many free captioning options are available on smartphones, but it can take time to teach patients how to use these apps and services,” says Jessica Galatioto, AuD, assistant professor of audiology (in Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery) at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. “Depending on the patient’s level of tech-savviness, this may be very time consuming and can be frustrating for the patient. Available counseling and rehab time can influence an audiologist’s ability to effectively train patients in using these resources. Aural rehabilitation groups could be an excellent setting to teach and train patients on these tools.”

Pediatric audiologist Michelle Hu, AuD, urges audiologists to become more familiar with available technologies to engage in more effective discussions with their patients about these newer solutions. Hu brings a unique perspective to this issue, as she is both an audiologist and someone with hearing loss who uses cochlear implants. 

“Definitely download all of the apps and put yourself in situations that patients are in. This will best help you understand what it’s like,” says Hu. “Feel the anxiety of missing conversations or words. See the mistakes, see the misunderstandings happening, and then review the apps and compare and contrast.”

How Audiologists and Patients Support Each Other

Barbara Weinstein, PhD, professor of Audiology at the City University of New York Graduate Center, has observed that some audiologists have a tendency to primarily focus on hearing aid technology during patient conversations, neglecting to mention other auditory accessibility solutions like phone captioning technology.

If healthcare professionals don’t bring up these options, patients will most likely miss out on using these technologies because they may not even be aware they exist, let alone understand how they work or the benefits they offer. Weinstein emphasizes that exploring these tools can significantly enhance a patient’s communication experience and overall quality of life.

This is why Galatioto makes a point of discussing these options with her patients. “Some patients strongly believe that phone captioning is only meant for individuals with profound hearing loss, making them hesitant to use this technology,” she says. “They view it as an alternative to listening rather than a supportive tool. I explain to my patients that captions are just another resource, similar to other tools we use such as Bluetooth connectivity or hearing aids.” 

Conversely, patients may sometimes even be more informed about emerging technologies than their audiologist, and could incidentally provide their clinician with insights into new tech trends during discussions with patients. In fact, this has been the case for Galatioto. 

“Apps and mobile solutions have changed the demand for personal captioning,” Galatioto says. “I first learned about many of the apps and mobile technologies available from my patients. My patients who needed captioning were the early adopters of the mobile solutions. I feel fortunate that my patients have shared all the information with me, as it allowed me to learn and share with others.”

AI Advances for Phone Captioning

AI and automated technologies have become deeply integrated into the phone captioning solutions space for voice transcription, offering a new option to help address accessibility needs. Many leading companies now provide services and devices featuring AI-based captioning technologies while still offering human CART captioning, which remains the gold standard.

However, Galatioto notes that these human-driven services can be costly and have limited availability. 

Hu adds that, at least for now, CART transcriptionists are better at deciphering unique or unusual accents, compared to the AI systems.

“As AI-generated captions become more acceptable and accurate I do believe they will have a greater presence,” adds Galatioto. “It also allows the user to be in control of when they want to use captions and not rely on others to provide accessibility.”

All the audiologists interviewed for this article agree that AI-based technology will continue to be a key component in this space, but complement rather than replace traditional practices.

“It is important to remember that it is the individual’s right to request a reasonable accommodation. Patients have a right to request a live/human captioner, particularly when they do not trust AI,” says Galatioto.

Looking Back at Landlines

The rise of smartphones and digital services has led to a seemingly perpetual decline in landline phone usage. However, many companies still offer landline captioning devices, even as the world increasingly operates in the digital space.

“I believe many people simply do not utilize landlines anymore. At least this is what I observe,” says Galatioto. “Patients with significant hearing loss also tend to enjoy texting and emailing when they can do so.”

But despite this decline, landline captioning devices still serve a purpose for certain individuals and settings where smartphones may not be as practical. Many phone captioning companies continue to offer landline devices, some of which now operate using high-speed internet for communication. Standard analog telephone lines are still available as well.

As Hu points out, these options remain practical in specific settings, such as traditional office environments, or for individuals who simply do not use smartphones or prefer landline devices.

What Can We Learn?

Phone captioning technology offers invaluable tools for improving accessibility and communication for individuals with hearing loss. However, bridging the gap between available solutions and their widespread adoption requires collaboration among audiologists, patients, and technology providers. 

Fostering open dialogue and leveraging both human and AI-driven phone caption offerings can help audiologists ensure these transformative tools reach their full potential to benefit those who need them most. And given the rapid evolution of communication technologies, staying informed about what’s new in this space is crucial to achieving this goal. 

References

1. Payne BR, Silcox JW, Crandell HA, Lash A, Ferguson SH, Lohani M. Text Captioning Buffers Against the Effects of Background Noise and Hearing Loss on Memory for Speech. Ear Hear. 2022;43(1):115-127. doi: 10.1097/AUD.0000000000001079. PMID: 34260436.

Original citation for this article: Lundin A. How Phone Captioning Solutions Bolster Communication Accessibility. Hearing Review. 2025;32(1):12-13.

Featured image: 74217379 © Mimagephotography | Dreamstime.com

Takeaways:

1. Innovative Service Launch: InnoCaption Connect offers real-time captioning for phone calls in correctional facilities across ten states, ensuring accessibility for deaf and hard-of-hearing inmates.
2. FCC Compliance: The service aligns with updated FCC rules mandating telecommunications access for facilities housing 50 or more inmates in areas with high-speed internet.
3. Addressing Hearing Loss in Prisons: Approximately 9.5% of state and federal prisoners report hearing loss; this service enhances communication, reducing barriers to family, legal, and healthcare access.

InnoCaption, an FCC-certified provider of real-time captioning of phone calls for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community, announced the successful launch of InnoCaption Connect, a new service aimed at expanding telecommunications access to the deaf and hard-of-hearing incarcerated population. The program was officially launched after months of close collaboration between InnoCaption and multiple telecommunication provider partners who participated in successful pilot tests demonstrating secure access to communication services, according to the company.

Phone Captioning Service for the Incarcerated

This new service allows correctional facilities to provide inmates with real-time captions of phone calls through direct integration with InnoCaption’s FCC-certified real-time captioning technology. Telecommunication providers are deploying this new service through their own captioned telephone mobile apps on Android tablets or through a customized Android app provided by InnoCaption. Strict oversight and security are built into the service. 

Calls are tracked and monitored by the correctional facilities with the same restrictions that currently apply to other phone calls. This new accessible communication service has been rolled out to county jails and state Department of Corrections facilities across ten states.

“Bringing improved access to telecommunication through InnoCaption’s real-time captioning helps level the playing field for incarcerated individuals with hearing loss,” says Cristina Duarte, sr. director of regulatory affairs at InnoCaption. “Our goal is to help break the cycle of incarceration through transformative technology and services for these individuals and their support network. People with hearing loss often face unique communication barriers, and by partnering with InnoCaption, correctional facilities can ensure deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals who are incarcerated have the same opportunities to stay connected through phone calls as their hearing peers.”

Hearing Loss Among State and Federal Prisoners

The most recent data available from the U.S. Department of Justice estimates that approximately 9.5% of state and federal prisoners report hearing loss.(1) This number is expected to increase with an aging prison population. Undiagnosed hearing loss can lead to frustrations among both inmates and guards as instructions are missed or misinterpreted. Additionally, lack of captioning accessibility for phone calls can limit communication with family, healthcare providers, educational services and legal contacts.

Further Reading

“At InnoCaption, we are committed to creating innovative and empowering solutions that help break down telecommunication barriers. We are excited to extend our captioning service to an underserved population within the prison system and improve access through our new partnerships,” says Paul Lee, chief operating officer, InnoCaption.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently expanded rules governing access to telecommunications services for deaf and hard-of-hearing incarcerated individuals. Beginning Jan. 1, 2024, a provider serving correctional facilities with an average daily population of 50 or more incarcerated persons must provide access to all relay services eligible for Telecommunications Relay Services fund support in any correctional facility that is located where high-speed internet service is available and has not been prohibited by the correctional authority overseeing the facility. InnoCaption’s new solution helps facilities meet these new rules.

Photo: InnoCaption

References:

1. Maruschak L, Bronson J, Alper M. Survey of Prison Inmates, 2016 Disabilities Reported by Prisoners. Bureau of Justice Statistics. March 2021, NCJ 252642.

Summary:
InnoCaption has acquired CaptionMate, a mobile call captioning service for the deaf and hard of hearing, to enhance accessibility for users through InnoCaption’s support and expertise.

Key Takeaways:

1. FCC Support: Both InnoCaption and CaptionMate provide free call captioning services, funded and certified by the FCC, to eligible users.
2. Language Accessibility: CaptionMate’s app supports over 100 languages and allows interface changes to multiple languages, broadening accessibility.
3. Commitment to Continuity: CaptionMate will operate as a standalone service under InnoCaption, with its founder advising during the transition to maintain service quality.

InnoCaption, a mobile call captioning technology provider for the deaf and hard of hearing community, has completed the acquisition of CaptionMate. Certified and funded by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), both InnoCaption and CaptionMate provide eligible end users with free mobile app-based call captioning services. CaptionMate uses advanced automated speech recognition technology to provide real-time captions of phone calls for users in more than 100 languages and offers unique features like the ability to change the mobile app interface language to Spanish, Chinese, or Vietnamese.

Further Reading: Phone Captioning App Improves Communication for Users with Hearing Loss

With the closing of this acquisition, CaptionMate will be supported by the InnoCaption team as a standalone service. InnoCaption will continue to manage and support CaptionMate’s users by utilizing the engineering and customer service expertise of the InnoCaption team. Beryl Bucher, founder and CEO of CaptionMate, will serve in a temporary advisory capacity to the InnoCaption team to ensure a smooth transition of service.

“We have been impressed with the CaptionMate team’s technology platform and focus on high quality service to their user base,” says Paul Lee, InnoCaption’s chief operating officer. We are excited to welcome CaptionMate and their users to the InnoCaption family and continue to provide the best call captioning experience possible.”

Further Reading: InnoCaption Report Highlights Communication Difficulties for Hearing Impaired During Pandemic

“We felt that InnoCaption and CaptionMate had a strong alignment of mission and values,” adds Bucher. “Today’s acquisition ensures that our users will be well-supported and that we will see our investment in advancing accessibility continue through this next phase of CaptionMate’s journey.”

Both InnoCaption and CaptionMate are privately held.

About InnoCaption

InnoCaption is a caption phone service that offers real-time captioning of phone calls through automated speech recognition technology and live stenographers. The InnoCaption mobile app is available on iOS and Android devices, and the service is free of charge to anyone in the United States with hearing loss who needs captions to understand their phone calls. As an FCC-certified provider, InnoCaption receives compensation from the federal Telecommunication Relay Services Fund for providing call captioning services. InnoCaption is headquartered in Irvine, California, and its mission is to provide the best accessible telecommunication technology to the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. To learn more, visit www.innocaption.com. 

Key Takeaways:

1. Funding and Investors: Nagish raised $16 million, including $11 million in Series A led by Canaan Partners, with participation from several prominent investors and founders of Datadog and Looker.
2. Product and Mission: Nagish offers an AI-powered speech-to-text and text-to-speech phone app that provides real-time transcription and customizable text display options, aiming to bridge the communication gap for the hard-of-hearing community.
3. Achievements and Future Plans: With recent FCC certification and partnerships with major enterprises, Nagish plans to expand its product offerings, increase hiring, and continue enhancing accessibility and inclusivity in communication.

Nagish, a startup using AI to make communication accessible for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, announced $16 million in funding. This includes $11 million in Series A led by Canaan Partners, with participation from existing investors K5 Global, Tokyo Black, Cardumen Capital, Vertex Ventures Israel, Contour Venture Partners, and Precursor Ventures, as well as the founders of Datadog and Looker. 

Further Reading: Phone Captioning App Improves Communication for Users with Hearing Loss

This financing complements Nagish’s $5 million seed round. According to the company, it will be used to fuel the continued development of Nagish’s AI-powered communication tools to transform how more than a billion people with hearing loss communicate, share information, and work.

Bridging the Communication Gap

“Nagish is not just another AI app. It’s a catalyst for empowerment, independence, and social inclusion, inspiring a new era of communication for millions of individuals with hearing loss,” says Laura Chau, partner at Canaan. “Nagish exemplifies the profound impact that AI can have on society, making inclusivity and accessibility a reality for millions.”

According to the company, Nagish’s mission is to bridge the communication gap faced by the hard-of-hearing community, leveraging advanced AI to create accessible, intuitive, and practical tools. With this new infusion of capital, Nagish plans to enhance its product offering and expand its reach so that more individuals around the globe can benefit from seamless communication to connect, learn, and thrive.

“This funding is a testament to the critical need for innovative solutions that address the daily challenges faced by millions of people who are deaf or hard of hearing,” says Tomer Aharoni, Nagish CEO and co-founder. “We believe in a future where inclusivity and accessibility are not just ideals but everyday realities, and Nagish is pioneering a new era of communication.”

Private Relay Service Features

Nagish has developed what the company says is the first end-to-end private relay service that empowers deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals to communicate without a third party. The company’s flagship product, an AI-powered speech-to-text and text-to-speech phone app, is designed to provide highly accurate and instantaneous transcription of spoken language into text. 

The company offers real-time transcription and customizable text display options, an intuitive interface that replaces native phone apps, and voice modulation features, to create a comprehensive communication tool for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals. The Nagish product is designed to allow people with hearing loss to follow conversations in real-time, enhancing personal interactions and improving accessibility while keeping calls private and secure.

Nagish was recently certified by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to provide telecommunication relay services, an achievement that the company says underscores its commitment to regulatory compliance and user safety.

With this financial backing, Nagish plans to bring new products to the market and increase its hiring efforts, bringing top talent in AI development, product design, and customer support to ensure its users’ continued success.

Featured image: Photo 43637951 © Kritchanut | Dreamstime.com

Takeaways:

1. The research indicated a notable increase in smartphone usage among respondents following the adoption of InnoCaption, suggesting individuals with hearing loss utilized their smartphones more frequently for communication.
2. New findings also underscore the efficacy of captioning technology in alleviating the cognitive strain associated with auditory communication for individuals with hearing impairment.
3. Users in the study overwhelmingly reported feelings of confidence, happiness, and contentment during captioned calls. 

New research observed improvements in quality of life measures—including an increase in happiness and confidence, and a reduction in frustration and anxiety associated with smartphone and tablet calls—when using the InnoCaption captioning app, according to a presentation held at the AAA 2024+HearTECH Expo.

AAA 2024 Presentation

Data were presented at the American Academy of Audiology annual meeting in Atlanta, by lead author Barbara Weinstein, PhD, professor and founding executive officer of the Health Sciences Doctoral Programs at the Graduate Center, CUNY, and adjunct professor of Medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center in NYC.

Improved Communication Over the Phone

The presentation, “From Frustrated and Discouraged to Confident and Content: Smartphone Captioned Call Experiences with the InnoCaption App,” explored levels of effort and emotions associated with making calls over a smartphone or tablet among people with varying degrees of hearing loss.

Key findings of the InnoCaption Study:

• Only 59% of respondents reported using their smartphone “frequently” before using InnoCaption. This number jumped to 70% three months later after using InnoCaption.
• Before using InnoCaption, 62% of respondents said they experienced considerable listening fatigue when making calls with their smartphone. This number dropped to only 14% after they started using InnoCaption.
• Prior to using InnoCaption, 66% of respondents said that they had to put in considerable effort when making calls on their smartphones. Following the use of InnoCaption, only 19% of respondents reported that making calls on their smartphones required a high level of listening effort.
• The majority of respondents expressed frustration, anxiety, and feeling discouraged when using their smartphones without InnoCaption.
• After three months, very few respondents (between 10% and 14%) said they were frustrated, stressed, or discouraged after they started using InnoCaption. Instead, they overwhelmingly reported feeling confident, happy, and content when using InnoCaption.

“A major reason people with hearing loss seek assistance from hearing healthcare providers is because of difficulty communicating in specific situations – notably with family and friends, when in large gatherings, and when in restaurants – even when wearing hearing aids or a cochlear implant. These challenges in face-to-face communication often lead people to socially withdraw,” says Weinstein. “Hence, communicating over the phone can often be one of the means by which people engage. The results of this survey suggest that the InnoCaption app is a form of assistive technology that has enabled people to remain socially engaged because of the increased accessibility experienced by people with hearing difficulty.”

Further reading: Helping Patients Parse Hearing Technology Beyond Hearing Aids

The InnoCaption App

InnoCaption is a mobile app that offers real-time captioning of phone calls. The app is available on iOS and Android phones and tablet devices and the service is offered at no cost to anyone in the United States who has a hearing loss and needs captions to understand their phone calls. InnoCaption’s hybrid captioning technology allows users to freely switch between captions generated by live stenographers or automated speech recognition technology, the company says.

Survey Methodology

The baseline survey was launched in September 2022, and was sent to 3,606 new users, with two reminders after receiving the initial invitation to participate. Of the 3,606 surveys sent, 341 were received within the three-month response deadline window (approximately a 10% response rate).

This change aligns Sorenson’s flagship mobile phone captioning solution with its established CaptionCall home phone service, providing those who need phone call captions with access to captioning services that best suit their lifestyle, according to the company.

The CaptionCall Mobile app provides real-time captions during phone conversations with the same features and functionality that Olelo users have come to rely on, powered by advanced artificial intelligence technology. The only difference is the app’s new name, which reflects Sorenson’s unified brand identity.

“Unifying our mobile and home phone captioning services under the CaptionCall name is a natural progression of our commitment to providing seamless communication solutions for the Deaf and hard of hearing community,” says Camila Casale, chief marketing officer of Sorenson. “This rebranding reflects our dedication to innovation and accessibility, ensuring that our users have access to the best possible captioning experience, regardless of their preferred communication method.”

Users will receive notifications when the updated app becomes available. In addition to the name change, the CaptionCall Mobile app will also undergo a visual refresh, featuring an updated color palette. The app will continue to be accessible on both the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Further reading: Sorenson Unveils New Project to Support Veterans with Hearing Loss

Photo: Sorenson

This new feature uses bright flashing lights and loud alerts to deliver text-based emergency weather notifications from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), according to the company. These FEMA alerts are connected to the customers’ home addresses and deliver timely warnings of nearby weather-related emergencies directly to their ClearCaptions Phones, bridging a critical gap in existing emergency alert infrastructure.

According to research that evaluated weather-related incidents in the past 15 years, there was a 10% difference in lives saved when compared to the same period prior to the launch of FEMA’s emergency alert system (IPAWS) in 2006. Additionally, FEMA’s Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system has been used more than 70,000 times to warn the public about dangerous weather and other critical situations.

“Hard of hearing individuals, especially those who are seniors, have less access to something we all take for granted – the ability to receive and understand emergency alerts. Since they are hard of hearing, they cannot rely on typical weather radios that use sounds and audio messaging. They are also less likely to have a mobile phone, which is the primary source of text-based messaging. We are filling a long-overdue need for people with varying degrees of hearing loss,” says Robert Rae, ClearCaptions’ CEO. “Our solution uses our existing in-home devices, which were designed to overcome hearing difficulties through bright lights, loud sounds and large, easy to read captioned messaging designed for our senior customers. This new feature provides functional equivalency to the emergency alert services that hearing people receive. We firmly believe this should become an industry standard, enabling equal access to life-saving information for all.”

This new feature brings connectivity and security to those who are underserved by existing emergency alert systems, the company says. ClearCaptions serves more than 100,000 hard of hearing customers—most of them seniors and over the age of 75. Studies have shown that this group is less likely to adopt mobile phones that typically have the emergency alert feature.

“We are working to deliver the option of these alerts to all of our customers over the next year,” says Rae. “For now, we have made it available to approximately 1/3 of our customers.”

Photo: ClearCaptions

Sorenson provides communication solutions to those with eligible hearing loss who need captions to use a phone, according to the company. SOP’s mission is to raise awareness about hearing loss among military service members and veterans, collaborate with veteran affiliates and organizations, and promote the adoption of these services to promote independence in communication.

“We are proud to launch Sound Off Project. We are dedicated to empowering military service members and veterans who live with hearing loss,” says Jorge Rodriguez, CEO of Sorenson, which connects more than 140 million conversations across all business lines annually. “This initiative is a call to action, a pledge from Sorenson to advocate for veterans; and, a commitment to support our Veteran communities.”

Further reading: Veterans Guide Offers Hearing Loss, Tinnitus Resource

“Sound Off,” a term with significant military relevance, symbolizes speaking up with force and purpose and underscores the project’s mission of empowering veterans. The term is often attributed to U.S. Army Pvt. Willie Lee Duckworth, a Black American soldier serving during WWII. His “Duckworth Chant” became the basis for all marching cadences still in daily use today by every branch in the U.S. Military.

“Hearing loss can be a debilitating condition, especially for U.S. military service members and veterans who have sacrificed so much for our country,” says Dewie Vieira, U.S. Army Veteran and Sorenson’s Director of Veterans Outreach. “The Sound Off Project is a much-needed initiative to help to raise awareness about hearing loss and provide my fellow veterans with the support and resources they need. I am proud to be a part of S.O.P. and I encourage all veterans who are struggling with hearing loss to reach out for no-cost assistance.”

SOP launched with an extensive digital campaign focused on community building, education, and raising awareness. The project will also participate in several key conventions in 2024.

Photo: Dreamstime

“We are pleased to continue the CaptionCall scholarship program for audiology students,” said CaptionCall CEO Jorge Rodriguez. “We are committed to investing in the next generation of audiologists who will serve people experiencing hearing loss. Audiology services are an important piece of communication accessibility.”

To be eligible for the CaptionCall audiology scholarship, applicants must:

• Be a current undergraduate student planning to pursue full-time graduate studies in audiology;
• Be a current graduate student in an audiology program;
• Have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a scale of 4.0.

CaptionCall will select up to eight students to receive the scholarship. Recipients must enroll in a full-time graduate-level course of study in audiology at an accredited school in the United States.

“According to the National Institute on Deafness and Communication Disorders, more than 48 million Americans experience some form of hearing loss and, as a result, they often have difficulty maintaining social connections,” said audiologist Steve DeMari, who also serves as CaptionCall’s director of business development and education. “We look forward to supporting audiology students as they continue their education and service to the hard-of-hearing community.”

For more information about the scholarship, visit the CaptionCall website.

About CaptionCall, LLC 
CaptionCall provides captioned-telephone service that is available at no-cost to anyone who has hearing loss that necessitates the use of captions to use the phone. While hearing loss affects millions of people for many different reasons – age, illness, injury, loud working conditions, and military service – it doesn’t have to limit the quality of their phone conversations.

Source: CpationCall