Workshop on Eliminating Acoustical Barriers to Learning in Classrooms
New York, NY
The City University of New York Graduate Center
February 26-27, 1999

Organized by
The Acoustical Society of America
The City University of New York
and
The National Council of Acoustical Consultants

A workshop for eliminating classroom noise and reverberation as barriers to effective learning and easy verbal communication between students and teachers.

To bring together those engaged in the planning, development or use of educational facilities, including:

• Educators; Administrators; Architects
• Audiologists; Speech Pathologists
• Acousticians; Government Officials
• Parents; Others

Partial List of Sponsors:
American Speech, Language and Hearing Association, U.S. Architectural & Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (the Access Board), Council of Educational Facilities Planners International, Self- Help for the Hard-of- Hearing, League for the Hard-of-Hearing, Lexington Hearing and Speech Center.

For Further Information call:
(516) 576-2360

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS WORKSHOP?

Research has confirmed teacher and parent experience that poor classroom acoustics (high noise levels or reverberation):

• Create a major barrier to individual learning;
• Place additional burdens on teachers;
• Cause low student achievement, poor classroom discipline and teacher burnout;
• Is detrimental to all students and teachers but especially to those with a hearing, learning or language disability;
• Can be avoided by design and corrected with current knowledge.

This workshop is designed to provide practical planning strategies and methods to avoid or correct poor acoustics in existing and planned educational facilities.

WHAT WILL PARTICIPANTS DISCUSS?

How to identify, diagnose and solve acoustical problems in classrooms and other listening and learning spaces.

How to identify students at high risk, such as those with mild hearing loss, with limited English proficiency, or with ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder).

Demographics of the classroom acoustics problem: the number, type, and ages of students at risk.

Acoustical parameters of speech intelligibility emphasizing background noise levels and reverberation time.

Risks to normally abled students.

Recommended architectural acoustic criteria for intelligible speech.

Practical solutions to implementation problems, including administrative, architectural, engineering, financial, and political aspects.

Access guidelines and possible standards.

How acousticians, architects and audiologists can work effectively with administrators, teachers and parents to create acoustically excellent learning spaces.


SCHEDULE

FRIDAY- 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

SATURDAY 8:30 a.m. TO 5:00 p.m.

WORKSHOP FACULTY

For more details and registration information, see the Workshop Brochure on the ASA website.