QUANTITATIVE MEASUREMENT AND THE SKILL OF SOUND LOCALIZATION AND ECHOLOCATION OF VISUALLY IMPAIRED

在本研究中，我们试图开发一种适合且精确的测量视障人士声音定位能力的指向方法，以显示正常人和视障人士在声音定位能力上的差异，并找出视障程度对声音定位能力的影响。在指向方法上，我们发现，由被试坐在旋转椅上引导身体躯干并触摸被试位于中心的大型触觉量角器的方法比广泛采用的面部指向方法更精确。通过这些方法，我们比较了视力正常者和视障者的声音定位能力，发现后者明显更高。采用双声源判别试验，探讨了损伤程度对声音定位能力的影响。结果显示，完全失明的受试者得分最高，其次是视力正常的受试者。低视力受试者在声音定位上得分最低

In this study, we tried to develop the pointing method that is suitable and precise to measure sound localizability of the visually impaired, to show difference in sound localizability between sighted and visually impaired persons, and to find the effect of the degree of visual impairment on sound localizability. For pointing methods, we have found that the method directing body trunk of subjects sitting on the rotating chair and touching a large tactile protractor in which subjects situate at the center were more accurate pointing methods than face directing method employed widely. By using these methods, we compared sound localizability of the sighted with that of the visually impaired and found the latter was significantly higher. The effect of degree of impairment on sound localizability was explored by using two sound sources discrimination test. It appeared that the totally blind subjects showed the highest score of all, and they were followed by the sighted subjects. Low vision subjects showed the lowest score to localize sound