SOUNDFIELD FM AMPLIFICATION:

FLORIDA’S IMPROVING CLASSROOM ACOUSTICS PROJECT

Gail Gegg Rosenberg, M.S.,CCC-A, School Board of Sarasota County, Sarasota, FL

Patricia Blake-Rahter, M.S.,CCC-A, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Convention, Orlando, FL

December 9, 1995

Purpose

The IMPROVING CLASSROOM ACOUSTICS (ICA) special project was designed to determine if students’ listening and learning behaviors improved as a result of an enhanced acoustical environment.

Materials and Methods

SUBJECTS.

2054 students in 94 kindergarten, first, and second grade general education classrooms in 33 elementary schools in Florida. Hearing screenings were performed on 1252 students in the 1994 project. Otologic was provided by parents of 1450 students using an adaptation of the Ear and Hearing History form (Anderson, 1991).

PROJECTS.

• 1993-1994 Multi-District FM Soundfield Classroom Amplification Pilot Project: 855 students in 20 control (N=425) and 20 experimental (N=430) classrooms in four medium and large district; 12 week observation (pr-, mid-, post-treatment observations).
• 1994 Multi-District FM Soundfield Classroom Amplification Continuation Project: 1319 students in 30 control (N=656) and 30 experimental (N=663) classrooms in six middle and large district; 12 week observation (pre-, mid-, and post-treatment observations). Additional 30 week observation: 804 students in 20 control (N=399) and 20 experimental (N=405) classrooms (observations at pre-treatment, 6 weeks, 12 weeks, 21 weeks, and 30 weeks) in four medium and size districts.
• 1994-1995 Small District FM Soundfield Classroom Amplification Project: 735 students in 34 general education classrooms; pre- and post-observation data available on 431 students in 15 small and 2 medium size district; 4 week observation (pre- and post-treatment observations).

INSTRUMENTATION.

The Easy Listener Free Field System™ by Phonic Ear with a 4-speaker arrangement was installed in 64 classrooms. Unoccupied and occupied sound level measurements (dBA and dBC) were taken in 60 classrooms and measurements were also taken of teacher’s un-amplified and amplified vocal intensity in dBA.

TEACHER INSERVICE TRAINING.

Inservice training materials developed for the project were used by district-employed audiologists to provide training for 110 general education teachers and support personnel. The ICA Inservice Training Manual and accompanying ICA Inservice Training Transparency Master Manual (1995) are available through the Florida Department of Education, Clearinghouse/Information Center.

STUDENT OBSERVATIONS.

The Listening and Learning Observation (LLO) was developed for use in the project and the Evaluation of Classroom Listening Behaviors (ECLB) (Van Dyke, 1985) was adapted for use as an additional student observation instrument. The LLO includes four section: Student Data, Listening Behaviors, Academic/Pre-Academic Behaviors, and Academic/Pre-Academic skills, The ECLB is a 10-item observation focused on discrete listening tasks. Complete observational data was available for 1850 of the student participants for analysis purposes.

PROJECT EVALUATION.

Evaluation of the FM Soundfield amplification was completed by 1221 students, 55 general education classroom teachers, 630 parents, and 27 school administrators.

Summary of Results

· Students in early grad general education amplified classrooms demonstrated significantly greater change in listening and learning behaviors and skills and at a faster rate than their peers in un-amplified classrooms.

· Younger students shoed the greatest improvement in listening and learning behaviors and skills.

· Unoccupied classroom noise levels (M=47/48 dBA) exceeded the recommended acoustical standard of 35 dBA for 96.67% of classrooms in the 1994 ICA continuation project (N-60).

· FM Soundfield amplification provided teachers with an increase of +6.05 dBA to +8.67 dBA in vocal intensity (M =+6.94 DBA).

· Students gave a positive evaluation for the use of FM Soundfield amplification (N=1221). More than 95% of the students agreed that the FM Soundfield system made it easier for them to hear their teacher, helped them listen better, and helped them to hear when their teacher was writing on the board. At least 94% agreed that their teacher’s voice was loud and clear when using the FM system and at least 92% agreed that they wanted to use the FM system in their class again the following year.

· Classroom teachers unanimously identified a decrease in vocal strain as the foremost benefit from using FM Soundfield amplification (N=55).

· Classroom teachers used the FM Soundfield system an average of 4.18 hours per day.

· Teachers were in 100% agreement that the FM system enabled their voice to reach all students no matter where they were seated. Teachers also were in 100% agreement that they enjoyed using the FM Soundfield system in their classrooms.

· Teachers were in at least 92% agreement that they experienced less emotional strain and fatigue during teaching and the need to repeat directions and information decreased when using the FM Soundfield system. They were also in at least 92% agreement that the FM system was easy to use, they felt comfortable using it, and would like to use it in their classroom again the following year.

· Teachers were in at least 96% agreement that students’ behaviors related to attentiveness, listening, and comprehension seemed to improve when using the FM system (N=55).

· At least 85% of parents agreed that their child would like to continue using the FM Soundfield system in their classroom the following year and at least 83% agreed that their child enjoyed using the system (N=630).

· Parents were in at least 46% agreement that their child’s grades improved when using the FM system and at least 44% agreed that their child’s behavior improved at school when the Fm system was in use.

· School administrators were in 100% agreement that teachers seemed to enjoy using the FM Soundfield systems (n=27).

· There was at least 92% agreement by school administrators that the FM Soundfield system enhanced class instruction and management.

· School administrators were in at least 53% agreement that there was a decrease in the number of behavior referrals from amplified classes.

· Correlations are strong (.788 to .837) for the listening and learning observation (LLO) and the Evaluation of Classroom Listening Behaviors (ECLB) observation instruments, suggesting that they are sensitive tools for observing student’s listening and learning behaviors.

· FM Soundfield amplification is a cost effective instructional delivery equipment based on a $0.14 daily cost per person for a typical class (1 teacher and 25 students). The cost would decrease to a $0.03 per person daily rate by adding a minimal 5 year longevity factor.

Further investigation of the benefits of FM Soundfield amplification is needed with other “at risk” populations, such as, preschoolers, ESOL students, and teachers with a history of vocal pathology.

The IMPROVING CLASSROOM ACOUSTICS (ICA) project (1993-1995) was funded by the Florida Department of Education, Division of Public Schools, Bureau of Student Services and Exceptional Education, through federal assistance under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Part B, as a special project.

Comments or requests for further information about the IMPROVING CLASSROOM ACOUSTICA (ICA) project should be directed to the project manager: Gail Gegg Rosenberg, M.S., CC-A, 5600 Bee Ridge Road, Sarasota, FL 34233, Telephone: 941-361-6544, Ext. 217, FAX: 941-361-6553.