This article discusses the AG Bell Academy for Listening and Spoken Language--an organization designed to build capacity of certified Listening and Spoken Language Specialists (LSLS) by defining and maintaining a set of professional standards for LSLS professionals and thereby addressing the global deficit of qualified LSLS. Definitions and…

A collaborative team of faculty from The University of Akron (UA) in Akron, Ohio, and Kent State University (KSU) in Kent, Ohio, were awarded a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education to develop a specialty area in the graduate speech-language pathology (SLP) programs of UA and KSU that would train a total of 32 SLP students (trainees)…

Describes the rationale for, and the routine use of, individual and sound-field FM technology with children having all degrees of hearing loss. This technology is seen as enhancing acoustic accessibility in home and school environments for children of all ages. (DB)

Proposes a method of evaluating program efficacy based on data evaluating the school performance of 19 children, 14 with severe hearing losses, enrolled in an auditory/verbal early-intervention program. The evaluation indicated that 16 of the children were fully included in mainstream classrooms and 18 were using FM systems. (Author/CR)

An information-support group developed to meet the needs of moderately hearing-impaired college students featured role playing, simulation, group discussions, and social activities. (Author/CL)

The article describes a program which provides parents and hearing-impaired children with information concerning postsecondary options and upcoming developmental stages. The community outreach program involves hearing-impaired college students at the University of Akron (Ohio) in meetings with hearing-impaired high school students and with parents…

The article discusses the relationship among visual stigma, attitudes, and types of hearing aid fittings. Literature review and parental reports suggest ear-level hearing aids could minimize the perception of deviance without sacrificing acoustic benefits. (Author/CL)

Word and sentence recognition scores were used to compare the effectiveness of a typical FM assistive listening device, an inexpensive hardwire unit, and the personal hearing aids of 10 moderately hearing-impaired college students. The FM unit performed significantly better. Moreover, the sheltered classroom listening experience promoted wider use…

A survey of parents of 54 school-age children with prelingual hearing loss being taught through the auditory-verbal approach revealed that 85% of children were estimated to read better than or as well as average normal hearing children. Of 37 children for whom standardized test scores were supplied, 30 scored at the 50th percentile or higher. (JDD)

Results of a previously published study, which involved 157 individuals with hearing impairments who were graduates of auditory-verbal programs, are summarized. Results indicate that the auditory-verbal approach provided subjects with the opportunity to grow up in regular learning and living environments that enabled them to become independent…

Comparison of the receptive vocabulary of 24 undergraduate college students with hearing loss to that of 24 peers with normal hearing found that approximately three-fourths of those with hearing loss performed poorly. Vocabulary skills were not found to be associated with degree of hearing loss. (DB)