Helpful links for people with hearing loss

Local organizations and agencies

Chicago Hearing Society (CHS) (non-profit that assists people with hearing loss)
Illinois Deaf and Hard of Hearing Commission (IDHHC) (state agency)
Midwest Center on Law and the Deaf (MCLD)
Center for Sight and Hearing (agency in Rockford, IL) 

Association of Late-Deafened Adults (ALDA) (Chicago)
Captions Midwest (Chicago)

Tinnitus & Hyperacusis - Support Group (Chicago)

National and international organizations and agencies

AARP (national advocacy group for people over 50)
ALDA Inc. (national organization of which ALDA Chicago is a chapter)
A. G. Bell Association (resources and support network advocate for people with hearing loss)
American Tinnitus Association (ATA) (for people with ringing in the ears)
Better Hearing Institute (BHI)
Deafness Research Foundation (DRF)
Dogs for the Deaf Inc. (DFD)
International Federation of Hard of Hearing People (IFHOH)
National Association of the Deaf (NAD) (civil rights for the deaf and people with hearing loss)
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (federal research agency)
Social Security Disability Benefits
Telecommunications for the Deaf Inc. (TDI) (advocacy group on TV, cellphones and other technology issues)

Online support groups, blogs and web sites

HLAA Hearing Loss Survival Manual
Say What Club (online support group for people with hearing loss)
The Hearing Exchange (blog and resource site)
The Deafened People's Page
Hearing Loss Web

Telephones and ways to make phone calls

(Relay has three forms: An operator converts speech to captions on a special phone; an operator converts speech to captions on your computer screen or live chat on a mobile device; or a live video is shown on your computer screen for signing or lip-reading. Relay services are free)

Cap-Tel (captioned telephones; maybe free or subsidized)

CaptionCall (Captioned telephones; maybe free or subsidized) 
Illinois Telecommunications Access Corp. (ITAC) (free amplified telephones for qualified Illinois residents with hearing loss)
AT&T Relay (provider)
Hamilton Relay (provider)
Hands On Video Relay (provider)
IP Relay (provider)
Sprint Relay (provider)
Sorenson Relay (provider)

 
Assistive devices to improve quality of life
(such as telephones, amplifiers, doorbell alerters, smoke alarms, etc.)

AbleData (assistive device database)
Harris Communications (vendor with online catalog)
Hi-Tec (vendor with online catalog)
Weitbrecht Technologies (vendor with online catalog)
Simple Solutions (Center for Sight and Hearing - come in and try devices)

Cochlear implants
HLAA Illinois Cochlear Implant Chapter
Cochlear Implant Association (industry-funded information and support group)
Advanced Bionics (manufacturer)
Cochlear Corp. (manufacturer)
MED-EL USA (manufacturer)
The Gift of Hearing Foundation (non-profit foundation that assists with cochlear implants)

Hearing aids

"How Hearing Aids Work" page from Discovery Health
"Guide to Hearing Aids" from Better Hearing Institute (includes info on buying & financial assistance)

Sign Language
American Manual Alphabet (finger-spelling) entry from Wikipedia
ASL beginning and basic signs (online videos)

CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation) live captioning for groups
CaptionFirst (provider)
LMH Certified Reporting (provider)
CART Provider Directory of the National Court Reporters Association

Hearing Loops
Scientific American article on hearing loops
Hearingloop.org (information on hearing loops for public places and homes)