Useful Links
One of the aims of the Deafness Foundation website is to provide current and/or relevant information. While one single website cannot have all of the answers, it is our endeavour to provide as much information as possible, and where required direct people to other websites that have further, or more detailed information. “If we don’t have all the answers, we’ll try to help you get them.”
If you believe that there is a website that would be of benefit to us, please let us know.
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Prior to clicking any links to other sites, please ensure that you have read our “Disclaimer”.
Deafness-related Organisations
The national peak advocacy and information organisation in Australia for Deaf people who are bilingual – using both English and Auslan (Australian Sign Language).
The peak national body representing the interests of the 3.5 million Australians who live with hearing impairment. C Deafness Forum’s constituency is people with hearing loss, ear and balance disorders, people who communicate using Australian Sign Language (Auslan), and their families.
A not for profit organisation ensuring advances in communication technology to improve the connectedness of Deaf, hard of hearing and speech impaired Australians.
A government initiative that allows people who are deaf, hard of hearing and/or have a speech impairment to make and receive phone calls.
A long-standing non-profit organisation that provides services to people living with multiple disabilities including deafblindness.
A voluntary hearing support organisation providing information and support in the Wimmera region of Victoria. Based in Horsham.
A not for profit charitable organisation providing hearing loss and tinnitus management services in Victoria.
Australia’s largest provider of government-funded hearing services for children, young adults up to 26, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, pensioners and veterans.
Provides health and medical information that is quality assured, reliable, up to date, easy to understand, regularly reviewed and locally relevant. Better Hearing Channel does not have any advertising or sponsorship and is fully funded by the State Government of Victoria (Australia).
An independent, not-for-profit research organisation working in the field of medical bionics.
Australia’s largest non-government provider of therapy, education and diagnostic services for people with hearing or vision loss. Operates Australia-wide.
A non-profit organisation led and managed by Deaf and hard of hearing people through provision of advocacy and information services to strengthen community participation and quality of life for Deaf and hard of hearing Victorians.
Formerly known as the Victorian Deaf Society, Expression Australia is a non-profit organisation, it is the primary source of reference, referral, advice and support for Deaf adults in Victoria and Tasmania.
A not-for-profit website created by the HEARing CRC for health professionals, researchers and anyone interested in better hearing.
The National Acoustic Laboratories (NAL) is the research division of Hearing Australia. Hearing Australia is a statutory body established under the Australian Hearing Services Act 1991. Since 1947, NAL’s research into hearing has opened new ways in which people with hearing problems can be helped.
The Department of Health is responsible for managing and administering the Australian Government Hearing Services Program. The progam provides eligible people with access to a range of free and subsidised hearing services, including comprehensive hearing assessment and access to a wide range of high quality hearing devices.
Provides information, advocacy, support services and educational resources that respond to the needs of deaf and hard of hearing children and their families.
Works in partnership with schools, universities, early childhood and deafness professionals to enable excellence in deaf education throughout Victoria and is committed to improving educational outcomes for deaf and hard of hearing children and young people from birth to adulthood.
The peak body representing audiologists in Australia. The professional association for audiologists in Australia.
Social Support
Aims to empower parents raising a child with hearing loss through online support, information and advocacy. Aussie Deaf Kids is a registered charity.
Inspired by the traditions of the Catholic Church, the John Pierce Centre seeks to empower all Deaf people and their families within Victoria to live their lives to the full.
An award-winning, not for profit organisation that runs a series of dynamic workshops for deaf and hard of hearing teens of high school age in Australia and New Zealand.
Health Professionals
Australia’s pre-eminent specialty eye and ear hospital, based in East Melbourne and with outpatient clinics around Victoria. A world leader in eye, ear, nose and throat services, the hospital is now at the cutting edge of research and teaching.
School Services
This provides information and links to all schools and services in Victoria.
Newborn Hearing Screening
The Victorian Infant Hearing Screening Program (VIHSP) screens the hearing of all newborn babies in Victoria.
Aims to foster the establishment, maintenance and evaluation of high quality screening programs for the early detection of permanent childhood hearing impairment throughout Australia and New Zealand.
In 2018, the Australasian Newborn Hearing Screening Committee became a sub-committee of Deafness Foundation.
The WA Newborn Hearing Screening Program provides a free hearing screen for all newborn babies at public, private, metropolitan and regional maternity services across Western Australia. The program is funded by the Department of Health and coordinated by the Child and Adolescent Health Service.
Auslan - Australian Sign Language
A not-for-profit body and the national peak organisation representing the interests of Auslan/English Interpreters and Deaf Interpreters in Australia.
Auslan Services is a leading provider of Auslan Interpreters across Australia.
Provide services to connect deaf, hard of hearing and hearing people, including: Auslan/English interpreting, Deaf and Deafblind interpreting, Video Remote interpreting, Emergency After Hours Interpreting, Live captioning, Notetaking, Transcription services. A division of Expression Australia.
Auslan interpreter booking agency.
Auslan Signbank is a language resources site for Auslan (Australian Sign Language). Here you will find: a dictionary, ability to search for signs related to medical and health topics, ability to search for signs related to educational and teaching topics, videos of deaf people using the listed Auslan signs, information on the deaf community in Australia, links to Auslan classes.
Deaf owned and operated Auslan Training Organisation offering a wide and flexible range of Auslan courses and products, designed to meet the requirements of workplaces, the community, and families.
A place to find, learn, play and print sign language images and activities. It features a fully searchable dictionary and resource database.
deafConnectEd is the lead agent for the Victorian Auslan Training Consortium (VATC). The Auslan training contract was awarded to the Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE (now Melbourne Polytechnic), commencing July 2013 – December 2016 and is managed by deafConnectEd and the VATC.
NABS provides interpreters for Deaf, Deafblind and hard of hearing people who use sign language and would like an interpreter for private health care appointments. NABS is free to people who are not eligible for NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme). Sign language services to Deaf Indigenous people are provided for both public and private health care appointments. Services include: Face to face interpreting (onsite), and Video Remote Interpreting (online). NABS is a registered NDIS service provider since 2013 and can assist NDIS participants with all their sign language interpreting needs which includes health care and other interpreting needs.
Supports people with a permanent and significant disability that affects their ability to take part in everyday activities.
Employment Services
A Specialist Disability Employment Service for people with an injury, health condition or disability. Also have a team of deaf and hearing staff fluent in Auslan who are specially dedicated to supporting deaf and hard of hearing jobseekers. A free employment service that is part of Deaf Services.
Expression Employment (formerly SensWide Employment) has been delivering Disability Employment Services (DES) to job seekers for over 25 years. Several offices situated around the greater Melbourne area: Melbourne CBD, Preston.
The national hub for workplace and employment information for people with disability, employers and service providers. Administers the Australian Government’s Employment Assistance Fund (EAF) which provides funding to cover the costs of making workplace changes. This can include buying equipment, modifications or accessing services for people with disability.
Captioning
Australia’s only independent not-for-profit charitable organisation dedicated to increasing web and digital accessibility for people with disability. Promote inclusion by providing helpful information and specialist expertise on the accessibility of mainstream technologies to government, industry, educators, consumer groups and charities – across popular online media, digital technology, apps, television, video, cinema, the arts, and education.
An independent Commonwealth statutory authority. Regulate communications and media to maximise the economic and social benefits for Australia. The ACMA set and manage rules about communications and media services and markets; licence people, organisations and products to operate in Australia; look into complaints and problems and take action when rules aren’t being followed; plan and manage the airwaves and make space for new services, like 5G. The ACMA’s remit covers: internet and phones; TV, radio and content; spectrum; equipment compliance.
Other Support Organisations
The peak state body in Victoria in sports and recreation for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
Established in 1954 as the peak body for deaf sports in Australia. DSA assists Australians who are deaf and hard of hearing to participate in sport at all levels and compete at designated national and international events including Australian Deaf Games, Asia Pacific Deaf Games, and the Deaflympic Games through partnerships with governments, businesses, sporting bodies and the community.
A voluntary, non-profit organisation helping people with tinnitus through a range of support services.
Hearing Matters Australia (HMA), formerly Self Help for Hard of Hearing (SHHH) Australia Inc., is a voluntary, non-profit educational organisation, dedicated to helping Australians with a hearing loss whose primary method of communication is through speech.
SWA is an Australian government statutory body established in 2008 to develop national policy relating to WHS and workers’ compensation.
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Recycled Hearing Aids
Donated hearing aids are reconditioned and reprogrammed so that they can be fitted to those people who would otherwise be unable to get hearing aids.
Recycled Hearing Aids
Donated hearing aids are reconditioned and reprogrammed so that they can be fitted to those people who would otherwise be unable to get hearing aids.
Hearing Matters Australia (HMA) and Macquarie University have established a Hearing Aid Bank to help low-income people access hearing devices. HMA collects hearing devices that are no longer in use. HMA sends these devices to the Hearing and Speech Clinic at Macquarie University, Sydney, where they are checked and reprogrammed at a minimal cost. The scheme assists those who meet eligibility criteria set by HMA.
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Recycled Sound is a not-for-profit community service project established to recycle hearing aids. Used and no longer needed hearing aids are collected, reprogramed and fitted to people suffering from diminished hearing and who are financially disadvantaged and ineligible for Government assistance. A project of the Rotary Club of Toorak.
More Than Just Ears. As a member-based charity, we have provided opportunities for people living with hearing conditions to be socially connected.
Resources
A business selling special needs resources for early numeracy, literacy, autism and signed communication.
A leading supplier of assistive devices for Deaf and Hard of Hearing people in Australia.
Telstra’s Disability Equipment Program is for customers who are deaf or blind or have a hearing, speech, vision, mobility or dexterity impairment. It offers a range of products to help customers who have difficulty accessing standard telephone services.
Supply a range of products for use by Deaf, hearing impaired and speech impaired people. Formerly called Printacall. Based in New South Wales.
Interstate Deaf Societies and Organisations
Provides advocacy, interpreting services, Auslan classes, Deaf cultural awareness training and education to workplaces and community support services. Expression Australia merged with Tasdeaf in 2018.
Providers of specialist services for deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing people and their families. Formerly known as the Deaf Society of New South Wales, announced intention to merge with Deaf Services Limited in February 2020.
Supporting the South Australian Deaf and hard of hearing community since 1891.
A not for profit organisation working with the community to enhance services and programs that benefit Deaf and hard of hearing adults and children across Australia. Formerly known as Deaf Services Queensland.
A community organisation funded by the Commonwealth, to provide information, linkages and capacity building for the hearing impaired, deaf and those with chronic ear disorders. Offers support to the broader ACT community and the surrounding regions of NSW that have come to rely on the ACT for services.
Supporting the Deaf and Hard of Hearing since 1921. Formerly known as the WA Deaf Society.
Part of Deaf Children Australia, DeafNT is a not for profit, advocacy, information and referral service, which provides support to Deaf and Hard of Hearing people of all ages in the Northern Territory.
International Organisations
A global organisation working to ensure equal rights for 70 million deaf people around the globe.
An international, non-governmental organization, representing the interests of more than 300 million hard of hearing people world wide.
DISCLAIMER
The information contained on all pages of the Deafness Foundation website is for information purposes only.
It is not meant to be used in place of independent professional advice.
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The content has been reviewed to support its accuracy by appropriately qualified and experienced people.
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The Deafness Foundation does not accept any liability for the information (or the use of such information) which is provided on this website or incorporated into it by reference.
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The information on the Foundation’s website is provided on the basis that all persons accessing the site undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content for their own purposes.
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This website contains links to other websites that are external to Deafness Foundation.
We have taken reasonable care in selecting linking websites but Deafness Foundation accepts no responsibility for material contained on a website that is linked to this site.
It is the responsibility of the user to make their own decisions about the information contained in linked external websites.