Design of a Simulation Tool for Audiology Education to provide Hearing Screening Training

Early identification of hearing impairment and ear disorders is important, which is why hearing screening is routinely done on newborns, with regular screening recommended on children through the age of 18. Screening is also completed with adults to assess and treat hearing problems. Procedural training is needed for new Speech-Language Pathologists and nursing students as well as continuing education for those trained to perform this procedure. An audiology simulator was developed to provide an alternative to traditional face-to-face lab instruction. Using a design science approach, the development of the simulation prototype is discussed. Contributions include a useful framework for developing such a simulation of an existing process, a description of a unique artifact that supports an individualized, self-paced learning environment using context-sensitive feedback and performance assessment, and an extensible approach to supporting virtual subjects in audiological training

Why a diagnosis of neurofibromatosis calls for the attention of a deaf educator

This paper will seek to describe neurofibromatosis (NF), the scope of its impact, how NF relates to hearing loss, and why someone with a teacher of the deaf’s expertise may have information to offer the intervention team for a child diagnosed with NF

Protocol for the Provision of Amplification v 2023.01

This Protocol addresses the provision of amplification (hereafter: \u27Amplification\u27) to infants and children who are receiving services from the Ontario Infant Hearing Program (IHP). For the purposes of this protocol, providing amplification includes the processes of prescribing a hearing aid (air or bone conduction) and/or other hearing assistance technologies based on appropriate assessment information, verification that the specified acoustical performance targets have been achieved, fitting the device on the child, and ongoing evaluation of device effectiveness in daily life. Amplification within the IHP does not include the provision of cochlear implants

Protocol for the Provision of Amplification

This Protocol addresses the provision of amplification (hereafter: \u27Amplification\u27) to infants and pre-school children who are receiving services from the Ontario Infant Hearing Program (IHP). Providing amplification includes the process of prescribing a hearing aid based on appropriate assessment information, verification that the specified acoustical performance targets have been achieved, fitting the device on the child, and evaluation of device effectiveness in daily life

Data Acquisition, Management, and Analysis in Support of the Audiology and Hearing Conservation and the Orbital Debris Program Office

My internship at Johnson Space Center, Houston TX comprised of working simultaneously in the Space Life Science Directorate (Clinical Services Branch, SD3) in Audiology and Hearing Conservation and in the Astromaterials Research and Exploration Sciences Directorate in the Orbital Debris Program Office (KX). The purpose of the project done to support the Audiology and Hearing Conservation Clinic (AuHCon) is to organize and analyze auditory test data that has been obtained from tests conducted onboard the International Space Station (ISS) and in Johnson Space Center's clinic. Astronauts undergo a special type of auditory test called an On-Orbit Hearing Assessment (OOHA), which monitors hearing function while crewmembers are exposed to noise and microgravity during long-duration spaceflight. Data needed to be formatted to assist the Audiologist in studying, analyzing and reporting OOHA results from all ISS missions, with comparison to conventional preflight and post-flight audiometric test results of crewmembers. Orbital debris is the #1 threat to manned spacecraft; therefore NASA is investing in different measurement techniques to acquire information on orbital debris. These measurements are taken with telescopes in different parts of the world to acquire brightness variations over time, from which size, rotation rates and material information can be determined for orbital debris. Currently many assumptions are taken to resolve size and material from observed brightness, therefore a laboratory (Optical Measurement Center) is used to simulate the space environment and acquire information of known targets suited to best model the orbital debris population. In the Orbital Debris Program Office (ODPO) telescopic data were acquired and analyzed to better assess the orbital debris population

Remote hearing aid fitting

Includes abstract.Includes bibliographical references.Hearing aid fitting is a costly process due to the cost of hearing aids, audiologists' hourly rates, and large travelling distances caused by regionally sparse audiologist populations. This dissertation is focused on the development of a system which aims at reducing the severity of this problem

Considerations For Implementing a Telerehabilitation Treatment Program For Individuals With Chronic Aphasia

The purpose of this research project is to identify the considerations that speech-language pathologists (SLPs) need to review before beginning to use telerehabilitation services to treat patients with chronic aphasia. This research will specifically target therapy treatments for patients with chronic aphasia and the technology adaptations and adjustments necessary for this population. This research project includes a systematic literature review as well as an in-service presentation. As telerehabilitation will continue to develop and grow, practicing SLPs need to have a foundational understanding of what teletherapy is, the patients suitable for services, and the benefits it has the potential to provide. This research project serves to provide SLPs with the foundational information necessary when beginning to learn about telerehabilitation services

Analysing a new mobile bilateral audiology test for children

Hearing loss in Australian children, primarily Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, is a growing concern for the Australian public health sector. In certain rural communities up to 90 per cent of children have been found to experience some form of hearing loss. Although hearing loss can be the result of a number of different causes, including congenital influences, the most common cause of hearing loss in Australian children is attributed to a common middle ear infection, otitis media. To address the issue, numerous solutions have been proposed, tested and implemented, although the problem persists due to geographic, environmental and cultural limitations. However, the availability of new technology, including smart phones and extended mobile telecommunications networks, has provided new opportunities to overcome these limitations. This research project comprised of the development of an application for Apple iOS devices and initial testing of this for accuracy and proof of concept. The application is designed to emulate a professional gold standard hearing test, which is traditionally conducted in a calibrated and controlled environment. While similar applications currently exist, many utilise nonstandard testing methods and there is no data or published documentation to support claims for their accuracy. This thesis discusses the pilot study conducted to determine whether this specially developed mobile application can be utilised for self-administered hearing tests for children; to reduce the strain on current telehealth services; and complement similar solutions to achieve a holistic approach for diagnosing hearing loss and ear infection. The results of the study outline a number of unforeseen circumstances encountered, which resulted in minimal obtained quantitative data. However, findings during the testing, that impacted on the testing procedures of the application, were derived from surveys, interview and observations and provide evidence to support the claim that a mobile application, used for mobile phone and tablet devices, can be used to supplement audiology testing of children and would be accepted by both parents and audiologists

The effects of auditory and visual distracters on the toleration of background noise in normal hearing listeners

The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of auditory and visual cognitive loads on the preferred background noise levels in normal-hearing listeners. This study investigated the preferable background noise levels (primary task) when normal hearing listeners were presented with auditory and/or visual cognitive distractions (secondary task). It was hypothesized that normal hearing listeners’ preferable background noise level would decrease in the presence of either distracter and that the synergistic effect of the two distracters would result in even lower preferable background noise level. Preferable background noise levels were measured on 24 normal-hearing listeners under four conditions. A 2x2 repeated measure ANOVA was performed with auditory and visual distraction (two levels each) as within-subject factors and the test order as a between-subjects factor. The results of the repeated measure ANOVA indicated significant main effect of auditory distraction. None of the interactions between auditory distraction, visual distraction and test order were reported to be significant. The interaction between auditory distraction and test order however, was near significant. Tests between subjects effects revealed no significant effect of test order. Pairwise comparison with Bonferroni correction revealed significantly higher preferable noise levels in the visual task and lower noise level in the auditory task. Results indicated that while attending to a visual cognitive task, normal hearing listeners were willing to put up with a higher background noise level than attending to an auditory task