The changing demand for improved acoustics in our schools

The education of children with hearing loss has changed significantly in recent years. Instead of being placed in special schools and separate classrooms, children with hearing loss are now being taught in regular classes alongside children with normal hearing. In addition, the number of children with educationally significant hearing loss has steadily risen because of an increase in incidences of otitis media and minimal sensorineural hearing loss. There are, of course, acoustic barriers to listening and learning in the classroom for all children, but especially so for those with hearing loss. Many more children experience difficulty hearing and comprehending in noisy, active classrooms these days, resulting in significant but reversible educational delays. As this chapter will show, improvements in classroom acoustics should remove many of the current acoustic barriers, should enhance listening and learning for all children, and should prove to be a good investment for local school districts.