Graeme Clark Collection

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    Research in auditory training
    Blamey, Peter J. ; Alcantara, Joseph I. (Academy of Rehabilitative Audiology, 1994)
    Speech perception and communication can improve as a result of experience, and auditory training is one way of providing experiences that may be beneficial. One of the most important factors influencing the effectiveness of auditory training is the amount of experience the client already has. Other factors include the severity of the hearing loss, the sensory device used, the environment, personal qualities of the client and clinician, the type of training, and the type of evaluation used. Despite a long history of clinical practice, the effects of these factors have been investigated in few controlled studies. Even in special cases where training has an obvious role, such as adults using cochlear implants, there has been little objective comparison of alternative training methods. One reason for this is the difficulty of carrying out definitive experiments that measure changes in performance over time in the presence of many confounding variables. These variables may also help to explain the apparently contradictory results that can be found in the literature on auditory training and in the diverse points of view expressed by practicing clinicians. Issues and methods appropriate for research in auditory training among adult clients are discussed with reference to the needs of modem clinical practice.
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    The potential benefit and cost-effectiveness of tactile devices in comparison with cochlear implants
    Blamey, Peter J. ; Cowan, Robert S.C. (Whurr, 1993)
    The use of the word 'potential' in the title of this chapter implies that the discussion must be somewhat speculative in attempting to foresee the benefits and costs of cochlear implants in the future. It is now much easier to do this than it would have been five or ten years ago, although there still remain many unanswered questions about their use, especially for hearing-impaired children. As far as possible, the assumptions and opinions expressed in this chapter are based on fact but in some cases reflect the subjective bias of the authors. (These opinions are not necessarily shared by other contributors to this book.) In particular, one author (PJB) has been involved in cochlear implant research for over ten years and began developing a tactile device in 1984 as a control device in studies of cochlear implants in children. Children and adults using this device have produced results comparable to those for some groups of cochlear implant patients. Despite these results, which exceeded initial expectations, there is still some bias in favour of the cochlear implant.