What is a RAS?

For more information on RAS, download the

'How radio aids can help' booklet for families, from the National Deaf Children's Society website.

What is a RAS?

A RAS is a transmitter (typically worn by a teacher in school) and two receivers directly attached/integrated to hearing aids.

What are they for?

Through the receivers the transmitter talks directly to the hearing aid. The teacher’s voice is then heard by the child far better in noisy environments like the classroom, and over distance like on the playing field.
The effect is essentially that the child hears the teacher as if they were sitting next to them rather competing with every other sound.
Clearly children also experience noisy and distance environments outside school. With groups of friends, at activity clubs, in restaurants and in other outside sports and leisure activities.

Who provides them?

LAs/schools at a cost approaching £2,000 per child. Typically for in-school use only, as the LA/school can’t afford the risk/cost of loss outside the school environment.