The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States has approved a special type of helmet for Gallaudet University's football team to use for the rest of the 2024 season. These helmets have a display that allows Deaf quarterback players to see the coach's tablet directly from the helmet so that the player can receive instructions while on the field. Gallaudet University has up to 1,500 students who are Deaf or hard of hearing, and these helmets are a big step forward in making football more accessible for them.

Apple recently released its newest version of AirPods Pro, and it includes a feature that allows them to function as hearing aids. This means that people who have hearing loss can now use these earbuds as hearing aids. At a recent event, Apple announced that AirPods Pro can be used as hearing aids that people can buy directly without needing a prescription. This new feature is designed to be easy to use and affordable, which makes it simpler for people to get the help they need with their hearing.

Joni Oyserman is a Deaf Dutch linguist who has received a grant to research how the Dutch legal system fails to support Deaf people in the Netherlands. She found that when Deaf individuals are involved in legal matters, such as court cases or parking fines, they often struggle to understand what’s happening if there’s no interpreter present. Oyserman’s research focuses on a big problem: many legal professionals don’t know sign language, which creates communication challenges and makes it difficult for Deaf people to get a fair chance to present their side of the story and understand legal documents.

Carabineros has launched a pilot plan for the VI-Sor service at the 4th Police Station. Suboficial Mayor Daniel R. Palma Yáñez, designed to allow people with hearing disabilities to file reports or statements in person with the support of a sign language interpreter. The project will be available at the police station for the next 12 months on business days from 09:00 to 18:00, and a web service will also be offered for video call access. This pioneering initiative in Latin America is the result of collaboration between the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and SENADIS. 

The Confederation of Deaf People of Venezuela (Consorven) is concerned about the detentions of people with disabilities during protests against the presidential election results. The NGO has reported that some individuals with hearing, autism, and intellectual disabilities have been arrested and are facing communication difficulties, worsening their situation. Consorven is calling for their rights to be respected and for interpreters and other appropriate communication means to be provided during judicial processes. They also demand that accessibility and fair treatment be ensured, as stipulated by the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.