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Education and Advocacy for Individuals with Hearing Loss

Squires, Erika S

Abstract Details

2016, Master of Arts, University of Toledo, Speech Language Pathology.
Problem: The scope of practice for speech-language pathologists (SLPs) has expanded to emphasize interdisciplinary and collaborative service delivery in educational and health care settings (ASHA, 2016). With this expansion, emerging roles for SLPs include educating other health care professionals about consequences associated with unidentified hearing loss and indications for hearing screening referral, as well as guiding school districts to modify classroom acoustic environments to maximize the potential for academic success in all students. Two projects were completed. The first project investigated obstacles school districts may encounter when attempting to comply with classroom noise standards. In the second project, hearing loss education among students from various health care fields was explored. Procedure: In the first project, the acoustic environments of three third-grade and two second-grade classrooms were surveyed, with obstacles encountered through this process documented and described. To complete the second project, pre-professional health care students of many fields at one university completed a survey regarding prior training on topics related to hearing loss, perceptions of the benefits and barriers to screening hearing, and self-efficacy in providing services for individuals with hearing loss or at-risk of developing hearing loss. Results and Conclusions: In the first project, obstacles for schools included finding acoustical consultants willing and able to survey classroom noise, securing adequate funding, and scheduling an appropriate time to obtain representative measurements without disrupting teachers and students. Notable findings from the second project included the fact that while 80% of SLP students reported receiving five or more hours of coursework on various topics related to hearing loss, 100% of respondents in other health care programs reported that they had received less than five hours of such coursework, with 45.5% reporting zero hours of coursework on these topics. Among all respondents, 60% reported a desire for additional training and education on hearing loss and its effects on quality of life in affected individuals. The findings from both studies highlight the important emerging role of SLPs in educating other health care professionals about hearing loss and modifying classroom acoustic environments to enhance academic success among all students.
Lori Pakulski, Ph.D., CCC-SLP (Committee Chair)
Emily Diehm, Ph.D., CCC-SLP (Committee Member)
Jennifer Glassman, M.A., CCC-SLP (Committee Member)
62 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Squires, E. S. (2016). Education and Advocacy for Individuals with Hearing Loss [Master's thesis, University of Toledo]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1470162746

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Squires, Erika. Education and Advocacy for Individuals with Hearing Loss . 2016. University of Toledo, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1470162746.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Squires, Erika. "Education and Advocacy for Individuals with Hearing Loss ." Master's thesis, University of Toledo, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1470162746

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)