Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing – National Organization for Rare Disorders

The Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (AGBADHH) is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping hearing-impaired individuals by developing maximal use of residual hearing, speech reading, and speech and language skills. It strives to promote better public understanding of hearing loss. The association advocates the detection of hearing loss in early infancy as well as appropriate hearing aid use. It also collaborates on research relating to auditory or verbal communication. Established in 1890 by Alexander Graham Bell, the association is also committed to working for better educational opportunities for affected children; providing in-service training for teachers; and offering scholarships. In addition, the association disseminates information on the causes of hearing impairment and options for remedial treatment. It collaborates with physicians, audiologists, speech/language specialists, and educators to promote educational, vocational, and social opportunities for affected individuals. The association also supports legislation beneficial to affected individuals, conducts international conferences, and has one of the world’s largest historical collections of information on deafness.