The Impact of Hearing Loss on Speech Communication by Spanish-English Bilinguals

这项研究的总体目标是为以下方面提供急需的证据： 听力损失对以西班牙语为主要语言的儿童言语交流的影响（SL 2）。 由于他们的语言背景，即使听力正常的SL 2听众也会面临更多的问题。 在不利的听力条件下，比母语听众面临更大的挑战。但是，如果他们被认为精通 听力正常的非英语母语儿童在学校得不到照顾。 为听力损失的非本地儿童提供的干预服务与他们的听力损失干预服务相同。 母语同龄人，即使很少有人知道听力损失对语言交流的影响， 非本地人口。 该研究项目的具体目标是建立SL 2中语音感知的基础 听力正常者（目标1）和听力损失者（目标2）。通过比较两组儿童的言语感知能力， 有听力损失和没有听力损失的成人和儿童英语母语听众和SL 2听众， 目的是评估受试者的语言背景，听力状况， 和年龄对音素感知的影响。使用 语音材料中的上下文线索的数量不同，自上而下和自下而上的处理的作用 将被审查。数据将使用一种新的方法进行分析，该方法专门量化了 以上因素对辅音混淆模式的影响。 作为这项拟议研究的一部分，所获得的数据将作为基础，以确定是否有穷人的讲话 SL 2收听者的感知是由于语言背景或听力损失。反过来，这将有一个 对评价进程、学术成果和为下列方面提供的服务的成本效益产生积极影响： 根据《残疾人教育法》，帮助非英语儿童取得成功 学术上和经济上。拟议研究的这一重要方面也与 2020年健康人群中的“听力和其他感官或沟通障碍”目标。

The overarching goal of the proposed research is to provide much-needed evidence forthe impact of hearing loss on speech communication in children whose dominant language is Spanish (SL2). Due to their language background, even SL2 listeners with normal hearing are known to face more challenges than native listeners in adverse listening conditions. However, if they are considered proficient in English, typically-developing non-native children with normal hearing receive no accommodations in schools. The intervention services offered to non-native children with hearing loss are identical to those for their native peers, even though little is known about the impact of hearing loss on speech communication for any non-native population. The Specific Aims in the proposed research project are to establish the bases for speech perception in SL2 listeners with normal hearing (Aim 1) and hearing loss (Aim 2). By comparing the speech-perception ability in adult and child native English listeners and SL2 listeners with and without hearing loss, studies under each aim will evaluate the individual and conspiring influences of listeners' language background, hearing status, and age on phoneme perception in commonly encountered challenging listening environments. Using speech materials varying in the amount of contextual cues, the role of top-down and bottom-up processing will be examined. Data will be analyzed using a new approach that specifically quantifies the influence of above factors on confusion patterns for consonants. The data obtained as part of this proposed research will serve as a basis to determine whether poor speech perception in SL2 listeners is due to language background or to hearing loss. This, in turn, will have a positive impact on evaluation processes, academic outcomes, and cost effectiveness of services offered to non-English-speaking children under The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and help them succeed academically and economically. This significant aspect of the proposed research is also consistent with the objective under "Hearing and Other Sensory or Communication Disorders" in Healthy People 2020.