Principal Barry Aidman, Billie Swift, Lynn Steakley, Anne Byars & Nicole Right.

During last year's 13th annual meeting of the Scott Haug Foundation in Kerrville, TX, Carole Flexer, former president of the American Academy of Audiology (AAA), challenged each attendee to get assistive devices into at least one school in their area. Billie Swift, a self-described "clinical audiologist/mom" who was disabled by a car accident three years ago, took the challenge to heart. "Carol Flexer was speaking about assistive devices through an FM amplification system, and I found myself agreeing with everything she was saying." Because Swift has a child who has been diagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADD) and central auditory processing disorder (CAPD), Swift realized that she was in an ideal position to advocate amplification technology for children like her own, as well as those with hearing impairment.

Because the typical classroom is very noisy due to tile floors, tile ceilings, no curtains or carpet to absorb sound - let alone the noise generated from children - many of the soft sounds of speech are masked by noise. It is well established that children with ADD, CAPD, middle ear infections or hearing loss, and those children who use English as a second language in the US. are at risk for academic failure due to communication-related problems. Even if teachers try to "talk over" the noise, consonants and other soft sounds can be difficult for some children to understand.

Swift immediately decided to present information on classroom amplification systems to the principal of her son's school near Austin, TX, which serves as a "catchment school" for the Univ. of TX. The grade school, which has an enrollment of 850-900 children, also is host each year to many children who do not speak English initially.

Swift contacted three assistive listening device (ALD) manufacturers, and received a sound field amplification system demonstration unit from Telex Communications which consists of a lapel microphone worn by the teacher and three wireless speakers placed strategically around the classroom. The "listening system" as it is called by many of the students at the school, amplifies the teacher's speech over the background noise so students are able to hear the teacher no matter where they are in the classroom.

The school's principal set up a meeting for the faculty regarding the system, and many of the teachers were impressed and intrigued with the device. In particular, kindergarten teacher Lynn Steakley, who had five children in her class last year with ADD, CAPD and/or hearing-related problems, was very eager to try the system.

With help from a $1000 grant from the Scott Haug Foundation, the school purchased a system for the kindergarten. The teacher's use of the system attracted the attention of the other teachers. Soon, everyone wanted one for their classrooms and requested demonstration units. Eventually, 25 teachers had the opportunity to teach with a demonstration system before the end of the 1997-98 school year. They all remarked that they were less tired and stressed at the end of the day, as it was seldom that they had to raise their voices.

After the pilot test, some comments from the teachers included:

"It was like having another teacher to help in the room. The children were following directions with less effort. I had more energy at the end of the day. I could teach more during the day."

- Kindergarten teacher

"After praising good listening (posture and eye contact) all year, all of my students assumed they were good listeners. They weren't sure why, but they liked hearing all of the sounds from the speaker. This was a wonderful test for me after one week of resting my voice and mentally knowing I would not have to project my voice all day. I began the Monday after spring break using the system, and I was more relaxed at the end of the day."

- 3rd Grade teacher

"I have a student who always says, "I can't hear. What did you say?" This student has not made these comments this week! I seem to have gotten more work out of my students and I haven't had to repeat instructions as many times."

- 1st Grade teacher

Following the pilot tests of the devices, Swift was invited by a group of parents to speak at a PTA meeting regarding funding for school-wide classroom amplification, and a "number of moms thought it was a wonderful idea," says Swift. The PTA budget committee eventually approved a $40,000 request to equip all 40 classrooms with amplification systems.

"Essentially, all of the teachers and many parents came to see the benefits of FM amplification within the classrooms," says Swift. "Many of the teachers commented that, when they were using the classroom amplification, they thought of it as an aid to the teacher and forgot it was actually intended for the kids."

After ordering the system, it took Swift and others three weeks to install and trouble-shoot the system in all the classrooms. Classes started on August 12th, a 105 F day in Austin, and students and teachers were extremely happy with the new system, according to Swift. A number of teachers have commented to Swift that it's like having another teacher in the classroom and some estimate that they save up to 40 minutes of class-time each week due to the amplification.

The Scott Haug Foundation has grants available to members. Grant and membership information can be accessed at the Foundation's website at http://www.scotthaug.org.