The current behavioural dead region (DR) diagnosis methods such as psychophysical tuning curves and the threshold-equalising noise test require extensive subject co-operation. These present methods cannot be applied to infants. The work presented in the thesis aimed to develop a fast objective DR diagnosis method that could be applied to sleeping hearing-impaired infants. A novel fast objective electrophysiological method of recording response amplitude curves (RACs) which could enable objective DR diagnosis was developed.RACs were derived by recording auditory steady-state response amplitudes using modulated signals in the presence of narrow-band maskers. Two RAC methods were investigated. In the swept method, RACs were recorded in a single test run by recording the response amplitudes across the frequency range of a continuously swept-frequency narrow-band masker. In the fixed method, response amplitudes of eight separate test runs, each in the presence of differing fixed-frequency narrow-band maskers, were recorded.RACs were recorded in normally hearing adult subjects. The results showed that for normally hearing subjects in condition 1 (swept masker), the mean recorded RAC tip for a 2-kHz signal was 2250 Hz and the repeatability coefficient of two repeated recordings in each subject was 389 Hz; in condition 2 (fixed masker), the respective values were 2251 Hz and 342 Hz. These results indicated that the swept masking method is a viable and fast way to record RACs in normally hearing adults.RACs and psychophysical tuning curves (PTCs) were recorded in hearing-impaired adult subjects in order to asses the tip-frequency agreement between the tests. In some cases there were difficulties in using the required signal and masker levels due to maximum sound level limits. The RACs were poorly shaped and had poor repeatability. These findings indicate that the RAC method that was successfully applied to normally hearing subjects requires further development for use with the hearing impaired. The possible causes for the differences in the accuracy of the method between normally hearing and hearing-impaired subjects are discussed. The work presented in this thesis provides the basis upon which further research can be taken forward. It is envisaged that this work, together with further research, will lead to a clinically-effective objective DR diagnosis method.

The purpose of this study was to examine the processes and patterns of communicative interaction which preschool and elementary school-aged deaf and hearing siblings utilized to initiate, maintain and terminate dialogs during play. Specifically, the focus was to determine if the processes and patterns of communication differed when a deaf sibling interacted with an older hearing sibling who has been exposed primarily to a simultaneous visual-auditory (SimVA) pattern of communication, as compared to when a deaf sibling interacted with a younger hearing sibling who has been exposed to both a SimVA and a sequential visual (Seq V) pattern of communication. Video-taped playbouts were observed between each of two sibling dyads at play within a single family: (a) an older dyad composed of a seven-year-old hearing child and her five-year-old deaf sister, and (b) a younger dyad with the second-born deaf sister and her three-year-old hearing brother. The video-tapes were coded to determine: the kinds of play siblings engaged in; the use and expression of behavioral and communicative elements of attention-getting, exchange of information, and termination processes of dialogs; who initiated and terminated dialogs; the occurrence of turn-taking during message delivery; and the expression of patterns of communication used by siblings during dialogs. Only three of five possible kinds of play were actually noted, of which social play was the most frequently observed kind of play taking place between siblings within both dyads. In the older hearing and deaf sibling dyad, it was found that the older hearing sister predominately used visual processes and patterns of communicative interaction when conversing with her deaf sister, whereas the deaf sibling relied extensively on visual-auditory processes and patterns of communication when conversing with her hearing sister. In the younger dyad, visual-auditory patterns of communication predominated both hearing and deaf siblings' expression of processes and patterns of communication with each other. New terminology reflecting siblings' behavioral and communicative patterns of communication are introduced. This study represents the first known research examining the processes and patterns of deaf and hearing siblings' behavioral and communicative interactions of dialog. The findings are discussed in relation to potential applications to early intervention programs for hearing families with deaf and hearing siblings and to future research directions. Overall, the findings from this study appear to indicate that deaf and hearing siblings communicate in ways largely influenced by developmental maturation and the communicative environments to which each child has been exposed during language acquisition processes. The findings are also consistent with Vygotsky's theory of a sociocultural origin of language development. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate

This study focuses on the needs of parents of learners with hearing impairments in a mainstream school. Since 1994, South African society has undergone massive changes informed by the Constitution based on a human rights perspective. The ultimate aim is an inclusive society based on the principles of democracy. The educational system has been transformed from one which supported exclusivity and inequalities on the basis of language, colour and ability to one which embraces diversity and inclusivity. The release of Education White Paper 6: Building an Inclusive Education and Training System (Department of Education, 2001) was the culmination of a process of restructuring of the education system to cater for all learners. Engelbrecht & Green (2001:6) emphasise that inclusive education is not about how to assimilate individual learners with identified special needs into existing forms of schooling, but about restructuring schools and education systems so that they can accommodate the learning needs of every individual. The new dispensation has made it possible for parents to assume the role of partners in education. Although School Governing Bodies have been established, parents still need a lot of support in order to play a meaningful role. In the case of parents of learners with hearing impairments in mainstream schools, there is a lot of ground that must still be covered in terms of their needs. In carrying out this research, an exploratory, descriptive, contextual and qualitative design was undertaken to find out what type of support is needed by parents who have children with hearing impairments in a mainstream school. Interviews were conducted with parents who have children with hearing impairments. During the interviews, ethical measures were adhered to and steps to ensure trustworthiness were also followed. Data were analysed and distinctive patterns of concerns emerged from the data, relating to the type of support parents needed. The findings indicate that in terms of the needs of parents of learners with hearing impairments in mainstream schools, Parent-school Partnerships; Capacity Building; Support Processes, Support and Networking; and Shared Decision-making were aspects identified by parents that had to be addressed. Based on the findings, it is recommended that schools lead the process, and that education officials be involved at all levels. The establishment of parent support groups will enable parents to be active agents of change in addressing their needs. District officials, governmental sectors, as well as community organizations serving the interests of learners who have hearing impairments, need to provide expertise and support for parents in starting and maintaining these processes. / Prof. R.E. Swart

In the evaluation of special populations, such as neonates, infants and malingerers, audiologists have to rely heavily on objective measurements to assess hearing ability. Current objective audiological procedures such as tympanometry, the acoustic reflex, auditory brainstem response and transient evoked otoacoustic emissions, however, have certain limitations, contributing to the need of an objective, non-invasive, rapid, economic test of hearing that evaluate hearing ability in a wide range of frequencies. The purpose of this study was to investigate distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) as an objective test of hearing. The main aim was to improve prediction of pure tone thresholds at 500 Hz, 1000 Hz, 2000 Hz and 4000 Hz with DPOAEs and artificial neural networks (ANNs) in normal and hearing-impaired ears. Other studies that attempted to predict hearing ability with DPOAEs and conventional statistical methods were only able to distinguish between normal and impaired hearing. Back propagation neural networks were trained with the pattern of all present and absent DPOAE responses of 11 DPOAE frequencies of eight DP Grams and pure tone thresholds at 500 Hz, 1000 Hz, 2000 Hz and 4000 Hz. The neural network used the learned correlation between these two data sets to predict hearing ability at 500 Hz, 1000 Hz, 2000 Hz and 4000 Hz. Hearing ability was not predicted as a decibel value, but into one of several categories spanning 1 OdB. Results for prediction accuracy of normal hearing improved from 92% to 94% at 500 Hz, 87% to 88% at 1000 Hz, 84% to 88% at 2000 Hz and 91% to 93% at 4000 Hz from the De Waal (1998) study to the present study. The improvement of prediction of normal hearing can be attributed to extensive experimentation with neural network topology and manipulation of input data to present information to the network optimally. The prediction of hearing-impaired categories was less satisfactory, due to insufficient data for the ANNs to train on. A prediction versus ear count correlation strongly suggested that the inaccurate predictions of hearing-impaired categories is not a result of an inability of DPOAEs to predict pure tone thresholds in hearing impaired ears, but a result of insufficient data for the neural network to train on. This research concluded that DPOAEs and ANNs can be used to accurately predict hearing ability within 10dB in normal and hearing-impaired ears from 500 Hz to 4000 Hz for hearing losses of up to 65dB HL. / Thesis (DPhil (Communication Pathology))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology / unrestricted

AFRIKAANS: Hierdie studie het die eerste fase van die ontwikkeling van toetsmateriaal vir die evaluasie van gehoorgestremde Xhosa-sprekendes behels. In die Iig van die Suid¬Afrikaanse klimaat van kulturele- en taaldiversiteit is 'n behoefte aan kultuurgeldige toetsmateriaal binne die veld van oudiologiese rehabilitasie geïdentifiseer. Vorige navorsing het uitsluitlik op die samestelling van woordelyste gefokus. Hierteenoor verskaf sinsmateriaal hoë-vlak kontekstuele Iinguïstiese inligting. Die geldigheid van die evaluasieproses word gevolglik verhoog aangesien die individu se vermoë om residuele gehoor te gebruik, binne 'n meer verteenwoordigende luisteromgewing geëvalueer word. Gedurende die ontwerpfase van die studie is die Bamford-Kowal-Bench (BKB) Sentence Lists deur 'n moedertaalspreker van Xhosa vertaal. Twee komitees was onderskeidelik vir die grammatikale en kulturele korreksie en die oorsig oor die ouderdomstoepaslikheid van die vertaalde sinslyste verantwoordelik. Aanpassings is op grond van die komitees se aanbevelings gemaak, waarna die sinslyste aan Studie A van die ontwikkelingsfase onderwerp is. Met die oog op die evaluasie van die kulturele-, dialektiese- en ouderdomstoepaslikheid van die woordeskat, is sestig proefpersone geselekteer. Daar is gepoog om 'n balans te verkry ten opsigte van geslag, ouderdom (8-15 jaar en 18-25 jaar) en gebied (stad en platteland). Analise van variansie ontledings het geen statisties beduidende veskille tussen die onderskeie sinslyste aangedui nie. Ten einde die betroubaarheid van metings te verhoog, is die volledige stel sinne vervolgens aan 'n rekenaarprogram onderwerp met die oog op die samestelling van 'n finale stel sinslyste wat gebalanseer is ten opsigte van foneeminhoud. Tien Iyste bestaande uit tien sinne elk is uiteindelik saamgestel en aan Studie B van die ontwikkelingsfase onderwerp. Met die oog op die kontrolering van die ekwivalensie van saamgestelde sinslyste is sestien proefpersone vir hierdie Studie geselekteer. Die finale stel van tien sinslyste is teen 'n vasgestelde sein-tot-ruis verhouding aan hierdie proefpersone aangebied en response is statisties ontleed. Die Tukey Groeperings het by 'n 95% vertrouensinterval bevestig dat sinslyste 6 en 10 beduidend van die ander Iyste verskil het ten opsigte van moeilikheidsgraad. Hierdie Iyste is uit die toetsmateriaal weggelaat. Die laaste hoofstukke van die studie behels 'n kritiese evaluering van die studie asook voorstelle vir verdere navorsing met die oog op standaardisasie van hierdie materiaal. ENGLISH: This study involved the first phase of the development of evaluation material for the assessment of hearing-impaired Xhosa speakers. In light of the present South African climate of cultural and language diversity, the need for culturally valid evaluation material in the field of audiological rehabilitation, was identified. Previous research focused exclusively on the compilation of wordlists. Sentences, however, provide high level contextual linguistic information. The validity of evaluation is thus increased as a result of evaluating the individual within a more representative listening environment. During the design phase of the study, the Bamford-Kowal-Bench (BKB) Sentence Lists were translated by a mothertongue Xhosa speaker. Two committees were responsible for the grammatical and cultural correction as well as an overview of the age appropriateness of vocabulary. Based on the committees' recommendations certain adaptations were made before subjecting the material to Study A of the development phase. In order to evaluate the cultural-, dialectal and age appropriateness of the vocabulary, sixty subjects were selected. Subjects were balanced in terms of gender, age (8-15 years and 18-25 years) and geographical area (urban and rural). Statistical analysis of variance indicated no significant difference amongst the sentence lists. In order to increase the reliability of measurements, the entire set of sentences were subject to a computerized programme to compile phonemically balanced lists. Ten lists of ten sentences each were compiled and implemented in Study B of the development phase. Sixteen subjects were selected to participate in this study in order to verify the equivalency of the ten lists. The final set of ten lists was presented at a fixed signal-tonoise ratio and subjects' responses were analysed statistically. The Tukey Grouping confirmed at a 95% confidence interval, that Lists 6 and 10 were significantly different in terms of difficulty. These lists were omitted from the final material. The last chapters of the dissertation included a critical evaluation of results as well as recommendations for future research aimed at standardisation of the material. / Dissertation (MA (Communication Pathology))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology / unrestricted

Orientadores: Rangel Arthur, Francisco José Arnold / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Tecnologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-26T21:04:39Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Plachevski_MarceloSodre_M.pdf: 4922402 bytes, checksum: d382ab91229b2ed9a1002d10d2d935c0 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014 / Resumo: O Brasil tem aproximadamente 45,6 milhões de pessoas com algum tipo de deficiência, o que representa 23,9% da população brasileira e deste universo, 9,71 milhões de brasileiros se declarou com algum tipo de deficiência auditiva. As pessoas com deficiência auditiva possuem técnicas que permitem o entendimento das palavras e até mesmo a conversação através da língua dos sinais, conhecido também como Libras. O ato ou gesto para captar a atenção do Deficiente Auditivo, DA, para iniciar a comunicação é atualmente uma barreira no processo, sendo necessário ter uma comunicação visual direta e até mesmo aproximação e contato físico para captar a atenção do deficiente auditivo. O conceito da Tecnologia Assistiva, também conhecida como TA, tem um papel fundamental na vida e socialização das pessoas com algum tipo de deficiência, e este trabalho teve a proposta de criar um dispositivo que utiliza esse conceito. Neste trabalho foi projetado e desenvolvido um sistema que utiliza a tecnologia de reconhecimento de voz em um dispositivo móvel, independente do locutor e de palavras isoladas, que é capaz de gerar um alerta vibratório para o deficiente auditivo, quando uma das palavras, previamente registradas no dicionário do sistema, for falada por uma terceira pessoa e identificada. A partir dos testes realizados conclui-se que o permite captar a atenção do DA, propiciando ter a percepção de que alguém ou algum evento externo tem o objetivo de iniciar uma interação com ele, atuando como um facilitador na interface entre ele e a pessoa ouvinte ou outro evento externo / Abstract: Brazil has approximately 45.6 million people with a disability, representing 23.9 % of the population and this universe , 9.71 million Brazilians declared with some kind of hearing impairment . People with hearing disabilities have techniques that allow the understanding of words and even talk through sign language, also known as Pounds . The act or gesture to capture the attention of the Hearing Impaired , DA, to initiate communication is currently a barrier in the process , it is necessary to have a direct visual communication and even closeness and physical contact to capture the attention of the hearing impaired . The concept of Assistive Technology,, has a fundamental role in life and socialization of people with a disability , and this work was the proposal to create a device that uses this concept . This work was designed and developed , independent of the speaker and isolated words a system that uses the technology of speech recognition on a mobile device , which is capable of generating a vibration alert for the hearing impaired , when one of the words previously recorded in system dictionary , is spoken by a third person and identified . It was concluded from the tests that it is possible to get the attention of a deaf, acting as a facilitator from a hearing person or other external event / Mestrado / Tecnologia e Inovação / Mestre em Tecnologia

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The present study used a variety of procedures to investigate which selected communication factors interfered in the interpersonal communication process between hearing-impaired and hearing persons. Three hypotheses were tested and all of them were confirmed. The results of the analyses of responses to the variables revealed that hearing-impaired subjects had greater communication problems when interpersonally interacting with hearing targets than with deaf targets. The hearing subjects reported a higher level of state communication anxiety and an overall lower level of self-disclosure when interacting with deaf targets than with hearing targets.

This study utilized Strong's (1963) theory of counseling as a social influence process to investigate the effect of therapist's training, experience, and similarity on hearingimpaired subjects' perceptions of the therapist's expertness, attractiveness, and trustworthiness and their willingness to see the therapist. Increasing levels of therapists' training and work experience was hypothesized to increase subjects' perception of expertness and their willingness to see the therapist. Increasing levels of therapists' similarity to the client was hypothesized to increase subjects' perceptions of expertness, attractiveness, and trustworthiness and their willingness to see the therapist. Subjects' ratings of the therapist were hypothesized to change when therapists with different levels of similarity were seen in different orders of presentation.