Objectives: We provide a novel application of psycholinguistic theories and methods to the field of auditory training to provide preliminary data regarding which minimal pair contrasts are more difficult for listeners with typical hearing to distinguish in real-time. Design: Using eye-tracking, participants heard a word and selected the…

Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate changes in autonomic function, as measured by heart rate variability, in individuals with tinnitus following acoustic therapy implemented using tinnitus maskers presented via hearing aids. Method: Twenty-six individuals with tinnitus and hearing impairment completed an 8-week field trial wearing…

Music education is being explored by researchers as a means of improving hearing acuity for children with hearing loss, particularly those with cochlear implants. Music educators are uniquely positioned to contribute to this important endeavor. This article describes normal and impaired hearing and how music perception is affected for students…

This study examined the effects of a 9-week auditory intervention on the auditory skills of five children with hearing loss who experienced prolonged auditory deprivation before receiving hearing aids. A single-case multiple baseline design across participants was used to examine the effect of the intervention on the children's auditory skills…

Age-related hearing loss (ARHL), known as presbycusis, is characterized by progressive deterioration of auditory sensitivity, loss of the auditory sensory cells, and central processing functions associated with the aging process. ARHL is the third most prevalent chronic condition in older Americans, after hypertension and arthritis, and is a…

The aim of the study was to analyse speech perception of children with cochlear implants (N=29) and children fitted with traditional hearing aids (N=20). One- and two-syllable words were presented auditorily in a forced choice minimal-pair discrimination task. The children repeated the word and pointed to the appropriate picture presented on…

This paper reviews the historical development of Auditory-Verbal International, which was established as a nonprofit organization to achieve the goal of increasing availability and effectiveness of the auditory-verbal approach for individuals with hearing impairments. The group's position statement is presented, along with principles of…

The introduction to the monograph on auditory learning summarizes the responses of 13 authorities on the education of the hearing impaired to the question: "What is unique about an auditory approach to spoken language development?" Responses are organized into categories (e.g., use of sense modalities, benefits, integration, parent involvement).…

The chapter examines audition and early intervention with hearing impaired infants, the normal development of audition, a model of auditory learning and teaching (involving discrimination, identification, comprehension, and detection), progression along the developmental sequence, natural interactions which aid learning, and parent role. (DB)

The articulator positions of a man with deafness who had a cochlear implant were measured with an electromagnetic midsagittal articulometer system with and without auditory feedback via his implant. Findings suggest that the cochlear implant was providing important auditory cues that can be used to monitor speech and maintain phonemic contrasts.…

Continuous discourse tracking, when used as a test of the effectiveness of aural rehabilitation strategies, has numerous uncontrolled variables related to the sender, the receiver, the text materials, and repeated presentations. Tracking is inappropriate for across-subject designs, and acceptable for within-subject test designs only when stringent…

While the Auditory-Verbal approach has been a popular intervention option for children with hearing loss since the 1940s. few empirical studies have evaluated the communication and academic outcomes of those children who have participated in this intervention approach. The focus of this article is to discuss the standards of evidence-based…

The article summarizes information on assistive devices (hearing aids, cochlear implants, tactile aids, visual aids) and rehabilitation procedures (auditory training, speechreading, cued speech, and speech production) to aid the auditory learning of the hearing impaired.(DB)

This paper evaluates two commercially available educational software programs ("Bailey's Book House" and "Stickybear's Reading Room") to illustrate how they might be used to train or reinforce audition skills in students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Results suggest the value of multiple uses of educational software. (DB)