The outer ear funnels sound waves into the ear, causing the eardrum to vibrate. Then the hammer, anvil, and stirrup in the middle ear vibrate. Next, a fluid-filled tube in the inner ear vibrates, stimulating hair cells. These vibrations pass on to the auditory nerve and the brain. Some people wear a hearing aid to amplify sounds. Deaf people watch close-captioned television to understand what is being said. They can communicate using sign language. This contains a(n) alphabet to finger spell words.