Sound Field Amplification for All

The concept of sound field amplification systems seems too simple to be so powerful. Even though it is well recognized that listening is the primary modality for learning, classroom acoustic accessibility for typical students rarely is considered.

This discussion on strategies for amplifying regular classrooms features the story of how one district amplified all of its kindergarten through fifth-grade classrooms, data on th reduction of referrals for special education in that district, and the concept of universal design.

Faced with a large special education caseload, the Oconto Falls (WI) School District wanted to make changes to decrease the number of children referred to special education. The special education director, Marilyn, who also is the school psychologist, had heard about sound field amplification and knew it uses a wireless microphone and loudspeaker system that amplifies the teacher's voice over the background noise of the classroom. She also understood that this technology had the potential to benefit all students in a class by providing a clear and consistent signal to a child's brain, a signal that could be heard equally well everywhere in the room. 1

The question that Marilyn had for the audiologist at her school was "Could sound field technology decrease special education referrals?"

This was the first school district where Amy, a colleague, and Stephanie Long, MA, considered amplifying entire buildings; typically, they amplified one room at a time. The sound field systems initially were installed for children with "slight" hearing loss, unilateral hearing loss or, in some cases, for central auditory processing deficits. All reported positive experiences with the single units. Teachers often would exclaim that they did not want to give up their sound field systems at the end of a school year. They were delighted with enhanced responses of students in their class and with the reduction of their own vocal fatigue. Our experiences plus research made us confident that this technology could help all children. 2

The sound field systems were ordered for every kindergarten through fifth-grade classroom, a total of 37 rooms. The teachers were inserviced, and we reviewed with them as needed if they had questions. For many teachers, adding this new technology to their classroom structure was stressful, even if they believed if would make their job easier. Thankfully, the teachers were patient and persistent.

The results of using sound field systems in all regular elementary education classrooms were staggering. Toward the end of the 1998-1999 school year, after eight months of sound field use, a significant decrease in referrals for special education was noted. In both the 1998-1999 and 1999-2000 school years, and average of 4.6 percent of the student population was referred for special education evaluation, as compared to an average referral rate of 7.72 percent for the nine previous school years.

This reduction in special education referrals by almost half certainly substantiated the efficacy of amplifying all 37 of the regular elementary education classrooms.

Educational audiologists often are required to work in many different school districts, and the conversation about implementing sound field amplification may be different for each district. Some schools begin by amplifying the younger grades and working their way up through the years. Other schools choose to amplify a track so that there is one room in each grade with amplification. Still others have included sound field technology as part of their referendum and purchased the units while new buildings were being constructed.

In some schools audiologists work directly with school boards, while in other cases special education programs have paid for the equipment.

In all cases it is helpful to have a wide variety of literature available to support the concept of classroom amplification - simple facts that we audiologists take for granted, yet most people do not know. For example, a child's auditory "brain" is not like an adult's until about age 15 3. Another fact is how loud words need to be above background noise in order for children to distinguish the words correctly (about 10 times louder than competing sounds). 4

It is very important to show teachers and administrators just how much an ear infection can affect how a child hears. Giving the administrators a spelling test while they wear earplugs can illustrate this. The errors the administrators experience are often the same as the pupils'.

Encourage the administrators to wear earplugs during the day to demonstrate how difficult even a mild hearing loss can be. Be sure to explain to administrators how long it can take for a student's ear infection to resolve, even with compliant parents (as long as three months).

In the Oconto Falls district, one of the most valuable advocates was a teacher who talked about how sound field amplification helped all ofthe students in her class. She was a trusted, long-time teacher in that school. Other teachers believed that if this special teacher said the equipment helped, then it did.

One of the stumbling blocks to having sound field systems in regular education classrooms is the perception that this technology is a "treatment" for hearing loss. Indeed, most amplification technologies such as hearing aids and personal FM units have been employed as treatments. However, speech reinforcement systems can be viewed as an acoustic accessibility issue that impacts all children, much like lights in a classroom allow visual accessibility for all children.

Therefore, in terms of learning, universal design means that the assistive technology is not specially designed for an individual student, but rather for a wide range of students, and universally designed approaches are implemented by general education teachers rather than by special education teachers. 5

Because children do not have the neurological maturity and many decades of life and learning experience that adults have, children require a quieter environment and a louder signal in order to learn. Therefore, managing the auditory learning environment for children can have amazing results.

In the Oconto Falls School District, amplifying all of the elementary classrooms resulted in a reduction of special education referrals by almost half. This reduction in the special education population has prompted that district to expand the universal design concept to include the amplification of all middle school classrooms.

References

1. Flexer, C. (2000). The startling possibility of sound field. ADVANCE for Speech-Language Pathologists & Audiologists. 10((36): 5,13.

2. Crandell, C.C., Smaldino, J.J. & Flexer, C. (1995). Sound Field FM Amplification: Theory and Practical Applications. San Diego: Singular Publishing Group.

3. Chermak, G.D. & Musiek, F.E. (1997). Central Auditory Processing Disorders: New Perspectives. San Diego: Singular Publishing Group.

4. Flexer, C. (1999). Facilitating Hearing and Listening in Young Children, Second Edition. San Diego: Singular Publishing Group.

5. Research Connections in Special Education. (1999). Universal design: Ensuring access to the general education curriculum, 5:1-2.