Transcript No Slide Title

Top Ten Tips for Making a Classroom Accessible
Donna L. Sorkin, M.A., Vice President, Consumer Affairs, Cochlear Americas
[email protected]
Agenda
1.
Why does my child need FM?
2.
What are the different types of FM ?
3.
How can we optimize performance with a personal FM?
4.
What suggestions can you make about troubleshooting?
5.
6.
7.
What if my child attends private school or doesn't have an IEP?
Do we still need to pay attention to acoustics?
What should we be looking for in terms of acoustical properties
of the classroom?
8.
What tips should we give the mainstream classroom teacher
about working with our child?
9.
How can my child's classmates help?
10.
What are some great resources for school personnel?
Why does my child need a
FM System?
What is a FM System?
• Wireless amplification system that transmits
speech signal from a microphone via FM radio
signals to FM receiver
• Teacher/parent/speaker wears microphone
• Student wears FM receiver that connects with
his/her sound processor or hearing aid
Factors that Limit the Child’s Listening
& Perceptual Abilities
• Noise – Ambient noise levels interfere with
access to the speaker’s voice
• Reverberation – classrooms have hard
surfaces which can cause echo effect
• Distance – Sound loudness decreases with
distance from the speaker
• Synergistic Interactions
• FM overcomes these barriers
Impact of Noise on Vowels versus
Consonants
• Vowels: low frequency
& louder
• Consonants: high
frequency & softer
• Noise adversely
affects intelligibility
more on consonants
than vowels
Effect of Age on Word Recognition with
Distance and Noise
All children are at a
Normal hearing children and adults
Age
Group
4 years
5 years
6 years
Adult
Word recognition
up-close in quiet
Word recognition
with distance &noise
(1.8 m)
(7 m)
88.3%
94.3%
98%
67%
99.3%
97.0%
Adapted from Johnson 1996
84%
86.7%
disadvantage when listening to
a distant speaker or in
background noise
Hearing impaired children
have an even greater
disadvantage in these
environments
FM overcomes the factors of
background noise,
reverberation and distance
from sound source
Purpose of FM Fitting
• Ensure speaker’s voice is presented at a
consistent dB level
• Overcome effect of background noise
• Competing conversations
• Distant speakers
• Improve listening in rooms with poor
acoustics
• Reduces listening effort and maximizes
learning
What are the different types of FM
Systems?
Various Types of FM’s
Soundfield FM
Personal Soundfield
FM
**Consider additional
“Pass around” mic
Personal FM
Soundfield FM System
• Improves SNR* by producing a nearly uniform
loudness level unaffected by the teacher’s
position
• Less strain for teacher
• Easy to monitor/troubleshoot
• Benefits everyone in vicinity
• Still need to address room acoustics
• Child needs to sit near to speaker for full benefit
*SNR=Signal to noise ratio
Personal Soundfield System
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Provide 10-15 dB SNR advantage
Good for very young children
No modifications required to equipment
Easy to troubleshoot
Speaker placement is critical
• On desk and must be at ear-level of student
for optimal effectiveness
Personal FM System
• Personal FM system - Receiver plugs directly
into sound processor and/or hearing aids
• Provides 15 – 20 dB (the best) SNR
advantage
• Travels with child wherever they go
• Small size
• Teacher/user training very important
What tips can you give me to
achieve the best results when
using a personal FM system with
my child's cochlear implant and/or
hearing aid?
Precursors to a child’s personal FM use
with their CI
• Approximately 3 to 6 months of cochlear implant
experience
• Adequate communicative skills (oral or sign) to provide
feedback regarding what they hear
• Reliable responses to age-appropriate auditory tasks
For either CI or hearing aid user:
• Someone trained to perform daily listening check and
troubleshoot the FM equipment
• Partnership between teachers, educational audiologists,
and cochlear implant audiologists
Personal FM – Connection Options
• Connections vary depending on sound
processor and FM system being used
• Can connect to a variety of FM
manufacturers but proper connect is
essential
• Consult with both hearing aid and/or implant
manufacturer and FM manufacturer to
ensure correct cabling
Performance Monitoring
• Audiologist, SLP, Teacher – (someone!)
should perform a functional listening
evaluation in the classroom, both with and
without the FM system, to measure benefit
• Crucial for appropriate benefit
Microphones Options
• Boom – Worn on headband and provides
the most consistent SNR advantage.
• Lapel – Clipped to clothing. Needs to be
centered. Caution when clipped to loose
clothing – position will shift.
• Collar – SNR can be diminished when
speaker turns head.
Microphone Tips
• Position microphone 3-6 inches from
mouth
• Avoid wearing jewelry that may rub/hit
microphone and create unwanted sound
• Use the ON/OFF control so that student
does not hear private conversations
What if my child’s school discourages
us or even refuses to utilize FM? How
should I deal with that attitude?
Understand the laws in your country
•In the U.S., children who have “educationally
significant” disabilities have the right to a free and
appropriate public education
•Federal regulations in U.S. mention assistive
technology as a service that children may require
and which must be provided
•Understand laws in your own country and use
them maximally to make your case
•Even in the U.S. (where FM must be provided if
needed), some schools will decline to provide
Some comments we have heard…
•Your child’s hearing loss is too severe to benefit from a FM
system
•Your child’s hearing loss isn’t severe enough to benefit
from a FM system
•We have this FM system left from another child
•We improved the acoustics in the room so she won’t need
a FM system
•Her speech is perfect, she hears everything and she’s on
grade level—she doesn’t need it
Laws Don’t Ensure Access
•Having laws that support children doesn’t mean
that the services will automatically be provided
•Many families still experience difficulty
•Reference need for the child to have access and
the impact that technology has on child’s ability
to fully participate at school
•Demonstrate impact (i.e, give them a spelling
test in noise or use tapes that demonstrate
impact of hearing loss)
•Know that you are right
If we’re using FM, do we still need to
pay attention to acoustics?
YES! Acoustics are Still Important
• Simply increasing volume isn’t enough
• HA’s/CI’s still need larger SNR*
• All children have immature listening
systems
• Poor acoustics exacerbate word
comprehension
• Children don’t necessarily note they’re
having a problem
*Signal to Noise Ratio
Acoustics and FM are not either/or
• Poor acoustics can overwhelm FM
• If reverberation, amplified sound
(soundfield) will bounce around
• Children communicate in small groups
or informally when FM is not in use
• Informal interactions are an important
element of the school/educational
experience
Where should acoustics be
considered?
• Classrooms and Core learning
spaces
• Auditorium, cafeteria, gym, music
rooms, offices
• Day care centers and preschools
• Site away from sources of noise
• Throughout design, construction,
renovation
• Acoustics as part of design, not as
an “add-on”
Key Factors in Classroom Listening
• Ambient Noise Levels (Given in dB)
• Sound Pressure Level of Speech Signal
(i.e., speaker) (dB) – Decreases with distance
from speaker
• Signal/Noise Ratio (SNR) Difference
between Speech Signal (speaker) and
Background Noise
• Reverberation  Echo from hard surfaces
(time in seconds required for sound to decay
60 dB)
• Combined effect of noise and reverberation is
greater than each alone
Signal to Noise Ratio Needs
• Normal Hearing Children > Adults
• Adult Listeners with Hearing Loss:
10 to 15 dB
• Children with Hearing Loss  15
dB
Ambient Noise:
Heating/Ventilation Systems
• Common problem in
classrooms
• Ensure working properly
• Avoid room air conditioners
• Purchase quiet equipment
• Design for low noise output
• Last resort: turn it off during
instructional periods
Ambient Noise: Other Common
Problems and What to Do
•Open Space Classrooms  confined spaces
•Street Noise in City Locations  Close windows
& install double pane glass
•Classrooms adjacent to noisy activities 
choose classroom locations for quiet
•Self Noise from children  No real solution,
carpeting muffles sounds from chairs and feet
Reverberation: Likely to be a
problem if:
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Tile floors (no carpeting)
No acoustical tile in the ceiling
High ceilings > 10 feet
Ceiling tiles have been painted
More than 10% of ceiling occupied
by lighting fixtures, HVAC grilles,
other non-absorptive surfaces
• Classroom is a trailer
Reverberant Surfaces and What
to Do
Tile floors  carpeting, tennis balls on
chair legs
Temporary Classrooms (trailers) 
move to regular classroom
Less than best ceiling option  install
highest rating acoustical tile
Large rooms  small rooms
Room design  address shape, design
Any space  install acoustical panels
What should we be looking for in terms
of the acoustical environment?
ANSI S12 Standard Specifics
Background
Noise
Max
Reverberation
Classrooms and
COR Learning
Spaces of 10K
CuFt
35 dB
0.6 sec
Classrooms and
COR Learning
Spaces of 20K
CuFt
35 dB
0.7 sec
Ancillary Spaces
40 dB
Acoustics at School
• Appropriate as part of the child’s programs and
services related his/her hearing loss
• May not be able to attain ANSI standard as
retrofit but any room can be improved
• Get involved in renovation/construction projects
to help kids in the future
• Std is available Online (free!)
http://asastore.aip.org
What tips should we give the
mainstream classroom teacher about
working with our child? We don’t want
to overwhelm her but can you identify
some items for her/him that will really
make a difference for our child?
Tips for Mainstream Teacher
•May not have had a child with hearing loss
•Likely is afraid (s)he is not prepared
•Communicate early/often
•May feel entire burden will fall on him/her
•Provide training
Facilitate/Encourage Team Approach
• Ensure discussions between people/
organizations
• Regular team meetings
• Teacher/Parents/Child part of the team
• Highlight role of everyone—it’s not just the
classroom teachers
• Train others in contact with the child
Possible Team Members for a Child with
Hearing Loss
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Classroom Teacher/Special Teacher
Auditory/Speech Therapist(s)
Educational Audiologist
Someone from the CI or HA center/clinic
School Principal/Administrator
Tutor, aid, school nurse, others
Parents + Child + Classmates
Interpreter, notetaker
See HOPE Online seminar on topic
Share Hearing Loss Basics
•Show them child’s audiogram and explain it
•Help them understand the benefits and
limitations of personal hearing technology
•Show them the child’s technology and let
them handle it
•Explain why the FM is important
•Determine who is charge of troubleshooting
and develop a plan for how that will work
(more on that later)
Ensure Proper Classroom Seating
• Close to front but visually accessible to
entire room
• Seat away from noise generators (HVAC
fans, hall doors)
• If unilateral CI (or unilateral hearing loss),
seat so CI ear (or better ear) is opposite
noise sources (i.e, HVAC fans, projectors)
and towards center of room
• No aquariums!
Speak so (s)he can understand you
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Always face forward when talking
Stay within the child’s vision
Closer is better
Don’t “bounce” around
Speak clearly, naturally and directly to the child
Make sure she’s looking at you when you begin
speaking
• Ensure volume is appropriate
• Speak just a little slower—too slow is not natural and
will make understanding harder
• View HOPE Online on Clear Speech
What if (s)he doesn’t understand?
• Don’t ask her directly “Did you understand that?”
• Learn to recognize “the look” that means he didn’t
get it
• Repeat once, then paraphrase
• Explain things a different way
• Encourage him to ask
• Use a signal or “secret sign” so she can tell you
she missed something
• Write difficult (key) word(s) on the blackboard
Other Communication Strategies
• Provide key new words/concepts to parents or team
members in advance
• Use concrete materials or natural gestures to
illustrate points
• Write assignments and directions on the board
• Point to the speaker
• Repeat classmates’ questions thru the FM
• If you think she might have missed a comment,
rephrase or restate what another child has
contributed
These strategies help every
child perform better
Set the Child up for Success
• Pre-teach—share lesson plans—before the child
encounters a new segment in class
• Provide key new words/concepts to parents or team
members in advance
• Send words to new songs home in advance so
parents can help the child learn words and melody
• Build her confidence by asking questions you think
she can answer and then work up to more difficult
challenges
• Help him shine in areas where he has competency
What about my child’s classmates?
How can they help?
Involve Classmates
• Believe that having a child with different needs
is beneficial for all children
• Let them see the technology and learn about it
• Talk about differences/special needs
• Ask professional in deafness to visit
• Have a “cool” adult with hearing loss visit
• Help the child know how to talk about his/her
technology (e.g., “these are my super
computers” or “I’m the bionic boy!”)
Assign a hearing buddy
• Help the child keep on task and show him
where the class is, if needed
• Make it a privilege to be the hearing buddy
• Share notes (if old enough)
What about teasing?
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Your child may get teased about his technology
Listen and put yourself in her shoes
Help him deal with it—“I can handle this”
Use humor, deflect it, ignore it
Agree with it and put the teaser off balance
Know that most kids—with or without hearing loss—
experience teasing at some point
• Encourage him to ask for help when teasing
becomes harassment or bullying
What suggestions can you make about
troubleshooting the cochlear implant
processor to minimize downtime?
General Troubleshooting Concepts for
ANY Sound Processor
• Check for visible breakage or loose
connections
• Check processor is ON and set on
appropriate user settings
• Change batteries
• Check microphone
• Check transmission (coil)
Preventative Maintenance
• Use dry aid kit daily
• Establish a schedule for changing
batteries
• Keep batteries at school
• Consider Nucleus Troubleshooting
Kit for school
Troubleshooting Resources
Troubleshooting Guide for sound processors
• www.cochlearamericas.com/Support/845.asp
• Can copy entire guide or directions for a specific
processor
Resources for
Educational Professionals
HOPE: Habilitation Outreach to
Professionals in Education
• Program to improve educator knowledge
about the needs of children with hearing loss
• Some programs also appropriate for parents
• Online training 2x month
• Over 60 archived (recorded) courses
• Regional (one-day) Rehab Workshops around
the country—ongoing
• Sign up for e-news
• www.cochlear.com/HOPE
HOPE Notes
HOPE Notes
• 18 topics we often get inquiries about
• Crystallizes key issues and highlights
questions to ask (no “right” answer), issues to
think about
• Provides understanding on topic without being
definitive
• Suggests additional resources
• Available on the web: www.cochlear.com/HOPE
Educator Guide
• MUST HAVE!
• Comprehensive review of key topics
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Introduction to CI’s
Getting Started
What Children with a CI Need at School
Preparing the Classroom
Troubleshooting
Accessories and Assistive Listening Devices
Resources
www.cochlearamericas.com/support/2156.asp
Cochlear Implant Resource Guide
Cochlear Implant Resource Guide:
Meeting Children’s Needs at School
• Designed for professionals who regularly work
with CI children and want to selectively share
materials with others
• Loose leaf notebook organized by topic (i.e,
evaluation, considerations at school, guidance for
children whose primary language is sign)
• Incorporates both existing and new materials
• All authors gave permission to copy their
materials
• $50 from Cochlear Customer Service
(800.523.5798)
Some Favorite Books for Teachers
• A Child With a Hearing Loss in Your
Classroom? Don’t Panic!! (A Mangiardi)
• Questions Teachers Ask (JW Otto, V Kozak)
• Tips for Friends (K Stein, C Gustus)—from
Moog Center for Deaf Education, St. Louis
Web Resources on
Classroom Acoustics
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http://www.quietclassrooms.org/ada/ada.htm
www.access-board.gov/acoustic/index.htm
www.classroomacoustics.com
www.hearingloss.org/html/nixonmj02.htm
http://asa.aip.org/classroom/booklet.html
www.cochlearamericas.com/PDFs/FAQAcous
tic.pdf
• ASHA and AG Bell monographs
• Acoustics in Educational Settings: Technical
Report, ASHA, 2005.
Questions?