1. Background Noise: Classroom,Background Noise: Classroom,
Clinic and (Research) LabClinic and (Research) Lab
Jill Raney, Ph.D.
April 11, 2014
University of Connecticut

2. OverviewOverview
Presence of background noise in
classrooms
Standards for Classroom Acoustics
Measuring impact of background noise
Interventions
What is current research telling us.

4. Distance (Speaker to the listener ) –
Double the distance, decrease signal by 6 dB
Reverberation –
Persistence of the reflected sounds after the
original sound is produced. Longer time
greater the difficulty.
Noise –
Greater the background noise the poorer
the Signal/Noise ratio (S/N)

7. Classroom Acoustic StandardsClassroom Acoustic Standards
2002 - American National Standards Institute (ANSI) created
the, Acoustical Performance Criteria, Design Requirements and
Guidelines for Schools standard (ANSI S12.60-2002). Standard
developed in a effort to create a classroom environment that
optimizes speech understanding.
2004 - American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's
(ASHA) endorsed the ANSI standard and recommended the
following criteria for classroom acoustics:
• Unoccupied classroom levels must not exceed 35 dBA
• The signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) should be at least +15 dB
at the child's ears.
• Unoccupied classroom reverberation not longer than
0.6 seconds in smaller classrooms or 0.7 seconds in
larger rooms

8. ClinicClinic
Auditory Skill Development:
Speech understanding in background noise
Children are not “little adults”.

9. Elliot, L. (1979). Performance of
children aged 9 to 17 years on a test of
speech intelligibility in noise using
sentence material with controlled word
predictability. Journal of the Acoustical
Society of America, 66, 651-653.

10. Which children have difficultyWhich children have difficulty
understanding speech inunderstanding speech in
background noise? Most!background noise? Most!
• Normal hearing
• Hearing loss
• Sensorineural
• Conductive
• Unilateral
• Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD)
• Aspergers

11. Some of the Available SIN TestsSome of the Available SIN Tests
• Words-in-Noise Test (WIN) (Wilson, 2003;
Wilson & McArdle, 2007)
• Quick Speech-in-Noise Test (QuickSIN)
(Killion et al., 2004)
• Hearing in Noise Test (HINT) (Nilsson et al.,
1994)
• BKB-Speech in Noise Test (BKB-SIN)
(Etymotic Research, 2005)
• Listening in Spatialized Noise - Sentences Test
(LiSN-S) (NAL – National Acoustic
Laboratories)

12. Speech-In-Noise (SIN) Testing:Speech-In-Noise (SIN) Testing:
Quantify the amount of difficulty.Quantify the amount of difficulty.
Stimuli: Digits
Words
Sentences
Noise: Speech-spectrum
Cafeteria
Multi-talker babble
Presentation: Modified Live-Voice (MLV)
Recorded

13. What can we do?What can we do?

14. Improve the S/NImprove the S/N
• Decrease the level of the noise (N)
• Increase the level of the signal (S)

15. FM - PhonakFM - Phonak
iSense
Inspiro

16. PracticePractice

17. Auditory Training ProgramsAuditory Training Programs
LACE - Listening And Communication
Enhancement (Neurotone)
(LiSN-S)- Listening in Spatialized Noise –
Sentences Test (National Acoustics Lab)

18. Lab -Lab - Why is noise detrimental to speechWhy is noise detrimental to speech
understanding?understanding?

19. Dr. Nina Kraus’ WorkDr. Nina Kraus’ Work
Audiology Online – From20Q with Gus Mueller (7/13)

20. Marion Downs Lecture in PediatricMarion Downs Lecture in Pediatric
Audiology (AAA, 2014)Audiology (AAA, 2014)
“Biological Assessment in Audiology:“Biological Assessment in Audiology:
Spotlight on Auditory Processing andSpotlight on Auditory Processing and
Hearing in Noise.”Hearing in Noise.”
Presented by Dr. Nina KrausPresented by Dr. Nina Kraus

21. Does FM Use and Training Work?Does FM Use and Training Work?

22. SummarySummary
Presence of background noise in
classrooms
Standards for Classroom Acoustics
Measuring impact of background noise
Interventions
What is current research telling us.

23. As Helen Keller said,
“Blindness separates us
from things but deafness
separates us from people."

24. Thank you…