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ABSTRACT INFORMATION
Title: 'Current Practices of FM Use in Preschool Children with Hearing Loss' Track: 3-Early Intervention and Beyond Audience: Primary Audience: Secondary Audience: Tertiary Audeince: Keyword(s): FM use in Preschool Learning Objectives: Participants will be able to: 1. Understand current practices of using personal or sound field FM systems in preschool classrooms. 2. Understand the advantages and disadvantages to using FM technology in the preschool classroom as reported by deaf educators. 3. Discuss the support that teachers would like to obtain from audiologists, and 4. understand teacher recommendations for FM use in the preschool classroom. Abstract: A key component to early intervention and positive speech and language outcomes is use of consistent and appropriate amplification technology, such as hearing aids or cochlear implants. However, even with the most sophisticated technology, children in a classroom setting are faced with the task of listening and attending to the teacher despite the presence of background noise and varying physical distance from the teacher. If inconsistent or sub-optimal access to sound is not addressed, the child’s speech and language development, auditory perception skills, and academic achievement will be compromised. Due to the nature of preschool activities, young children are often exposed to noisy classroom environments. A personal Frequency Modulation (FM) system can improve a child’s listening environment by delivering a clear signal directly to a child’s hearing aid or cochlear implant, thus reducing the negative environmental effects of noise or distance. Unfortunately, very few research studies have examined the benefits of using personal or sound field FM systems in preschool classrooms. The importance of a child receiving a clear and consistent signal during the early years of speech and language development is intuitive, yet anecdotal information suggests that many preschool-age children do not use personal FM systems. Therefore, a survey was sent to public and private preschool programs throughout the United States to evaluate the practice patterns and current use of FM and sound field systems in preschool classrooms, to identify the potential attitudes and barriers to using FM technology in preschool classrooms, and to obtain recommendations and feedback from preschool teachers from various locations around the country regarding their experiences with FM technology and the preschool population. In addition to presenting the results of the study, the presentation will include an interactive discussion about FM recommendations in the preschool population. Handouts: Handout is not Available
SPEAKER INFORMATION
PRESENTER(S): Lauri Nelson - Utah State University      Credentials: PhD       Lauri Nelson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education in the Listening and Spoken Language Deaf Education program at Utah State University. She has a dual background in both clinical audiology and LSL deaf education and currently directs the LSL deaf education graduate training program at Utah State University. Bridget Poole - Utah State University      Credentials: B.S.       Bridget Poole is a 2nd year doctoral student in the AuD program at Utah State University. Her focus is gaining experience in assistive listening technology. Karen Munoz - Utah State University      Credentials: Associate Professor      Other Affiliations: NCHAM       Karen Muñoz is an associate professor of audiology at Utah State University in the Department of Communicative Disorders and associate director of the National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management. Her research focus is in the area of childhood hearing loss.   AUTHOR(S): Lauri Nelson - Utah State University      Credentials: PhD       BIO: Lauri Nelson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education in the Listening and Spoken Language Deaf Education program at Utah State University. She has a dual background in both clinical audiology and LSL deaf education and currently directs the LSL deaf education graduate training program at Utah State University. Bridget Poole - Utah State University      Credentials: B.S.       BIO: Bridget Poole is a 2nd year doctoral student in the AuD program at Utah State University. Her focus is gaining experience in assistive listening technology. Karen Munoz - Utah State University      Credentials: Associate Professor      Other Affiliations: NCHAM       BIO: Karen Muñoz is an associate professor of audiology at Utah State University in the Department of Communicative Disorders and associate director of the National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management. Her research focus is in the area of childhood hearing loss.