The best iPhone and iPad apps for the deaf and hearing impaired

The ASL App is designed to help you learn a new visual language in a way that is easy, intuitive, and well-paced. In this iPhone app for sign language you can drag your finger on the videos to control the speed - totally at your pace. There is a search index (when you need to know a sign right away), slow-motion option, info (tips), and a favorites folder.

• Know Your ABCs - Learn the ASL alphabet (included, FREE!)
• Know Your Numbers - Learn all the numbers (included, FREE!)
• Universal Gestures - Review what you already know (included, FREE!)
• Handshape Exercises - Warm up your hands, and get used to the different handshape positions. Get your muscles to become fluently aware. (included, FREE!)
• The Basics! A good way to get started! (included, FREE!)
• More Basic Signs! Again, a collection of more basic signs. (Paid)

Usually, damages to hearing and hearing loss occur gradually. It's always better to be concerned about your hearing in advance. Use Absolute Ear, a hearing test app to check whether you have some problems or not in order to prevent any disorders. Absolute Ear allows to make a comprehensive analysis of your hearing by using several simple tests. The app contains diagnostic tools and health advice.

• An efficient way to check your hearing
• Ears screening, level of abstraction, hearing age
• Useful daily tips to protect your health

This is a simple hearing test app. This app can test frequency of 125hz to 8000hz and plot the result on charts. You can save the results and compare them to find daily change of your hearing. You can also test the age of ears. As you get older, you lose the ability to hear high frequency sounds.

• Hearing tests at home! 
• Ear Age Test. Your ears may be younger than your actual age! 
• Extra high frequency sounds are also called "Mosquito sounds" or "Mosquito tones". 
• In this test, this app plays up to 20000hz tones and determines how far high frequency you can hear.

If you need some assistance in hearing sounds more clearly then this is a fantastic option for you. EarMachine will pick up the sounds via your iDevice’s built-in microphone and make it easier for you to hear. This could range from watching TV to conversations in noisy locations. It has a simple interface which makes it easier to adjust the settings to hear things more clearly. There’s also recommendations for settings based on the app’s analysis of the sounds. This app also doubles up as a convenient way to listen to your music library.

• Hear sounds more clearly
• Adjust settings manually or automatically
• Work is funded by the National Institutes of Health
• Can listen to your music library
• Simple interface, Very easy to use

This app is unlike any other app you have probably tried before. It gives you control over the real sounds of your environment. Choose one of the 7 free filters to dramatically adjust how and what you are hearing. These filters will adjust the detail and quality of sounds or add effects like waves, cascades and more. You can mute background noise, but still hear others or auto-tune them to music. If you don’t like the preset filters, you can adjust them to your liking.

• Take control over real world sounds
• 7 free filters to choose from
• Add effects like waves or cascades
• Choose how you hear others speak or mute them
• Listen to music, Auto-tune sounds to your music

Subtitles Viewer! allows you to view subtitles on your iPhone or iPad synced with TV or movies at the cinema. You can get subtitles in many languages. All of the subtitles are gotten from opensubtitles.org by volunteers so sometimes it can take a bit for a new movie to get done after it is released. For those who are hard of hearing or deaf, this is an amazing gift to be able to go to the cinema, or sit at home and watch TV and not have to worry about closed captioning services. You will get a free trial and then you need to make in-app purchases. If you plan on using it a lot, the unlimited subtitle package is definitely the most cost-effective option. 

• View subtitles on your device, synced with TV or movies
• Watch TV or movies in cinema without closed captioning
• All subtitles are from opensubtitles.org 
• Huge movie selection
• Free with in-app purchases

Petralex is a hearing aid app that works on the same principles as a regular hearing aid. You can auto-adjust it to your own preferences and it’s totally invisible. Use it with your normal headset. The app uses patented algorithms and an easy-to-use interface. It has quick setup for any sound environment, increased sampling rate, it’s easy to switch between headset microphones and devices, and you can setup and adjust the app without going to a specialist. The built-in mic can catch sound from distance sources.

• Hearing aid app
• Create different profiles 
• Easy to set up
• No special devices needed
• Free app for the deaf and hearing impaired

Mimi Hearing Test helps you test your hearing, and gives you results after just two minutes. After that, you can use the Mimi player to enrich your hearing. The test gives you detailed info about each ear: your hearing age, your hearing profile, your hearing landscape, and speech region. The app will then make recommendations for you to be able to hear better. It works with Apple EarPods and EarBuds, and the accuracy is dependent on the type of headphones you choose and the ambient noise level. Test in a quiet room.

• Test your hearing
• Get results in two minutes
• Find out in-depth info on each ear
• Discover how to hear better
• Free iPhone and iPad app for the deaf and hearing impaired

Marlee Signs© is by Marlee Matlin, an award-winning Deaf actress. If you want to learn more about ASL, this is the app for you. You’ll learn the fundamentals like the signed alphabet and basic vocabulary, common expressions, and more. Everything is taught by Marlee in high-def video demonstrations. Lessons are broken down into easy videos and you can learn at your own pace, checking off completed lessons so you can pick up where you left off. If you need help to fingerspell a word, type it in and watch Marlee spell it out for you.  Marlee Signs app review

• Learn the fundamentals of ASL
• Fingerspell
• High-def videos teach you signs
• Practice at your own pace
• Free with in-app purchases

Deaf Bible is an app that brings you translations of the Bible in different sign languages. It is easy to use, interactive, and will give you a complete experience. You can share verses via Twitter, Facebook, email, or SMS, quickly and easily. The app uses skilled signers in clear, close-up, colored video. Choose the sign language you want to use: ASL, French Sign Language, Japanese Sign Language, or one of several others available. You can even watch the Jesus Film in different sign language translations. 

• From Bible.is
• Have, know, and share the Bible
• Choose the sign language you prefer
• Watch the Jesus Film
• Free iPhone and iPad app for the deaf and hearing impaired