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

拟议研究的总体目标是为以下问题提供急需的证据： 听力损失对以西班牙语为主导语言的儿童言语交流的影响（SL2）。 由于语言背景的原因，即使是听力正常的 SL2 听众也会面临更多的问题。 在不利的聆听条件下，比母语听众面临的挑战更大。然而，如果他们被认为精通 听力正常、发育正常的非英语母语儿童在学校得不到住宿。 为患有听力损失的非本地儿童提供的干预服务与为他们提供的干预服务相同 尽管对于听力损失对任何人的言语交流的影响知之甚少， 非本地人口。 拟议研究项目的具体目标是建立 SL2 语音感知的基础 听力正常（目标 1）和听力损失（目标 2）的听众。通过比较语音感知能力 成人和儿童以英语为母语的听众以及有或没有听力损失的 SL2 听众，在每个项目下进行研究 目标将评估听众的语言背景、听力状况、 在常见的具有挑战性的听力环境中，年龄对音素感知的影响。使用 语音材料的上下文线索数量、自上而下和自下而上处理的作用各不相同 将接受检查。将使用一种新方法来分析数据，该方法专门量化了以下因素的影响： 上述因素会影响辅音的混淆模式。 作为这项拟议研究的一部分获得的数据将作为确定言语是否不佳的基础 SL2 听众的感知是由于语言背景或听力损失造成的。反过来，这将有一个 对评估过程、学术成果和所提供服务的成本效益产生积极影响 根据《残疾人教育法》保护非英语国家的儿童并帮助他们取得成功 在学术和经济上。拟议研究的这一重要方面也与 《健康人 2020》中“听力和其他感觉或沟通障碍”下的目标。

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.