Early identification of hearing loss and effective, early intervention are important determinants of children’s acquisition of spoken language, and predictors of subsequent literacy levels and academic achievement. Following the selection of an appropriate assistive device (ALD), the key intervention is the provision of auditory-verbal therapy (AVT) to assist the child to make maximum use of sound provided by their ALD.
This project will acquire, synthesize and apply available knowledge about spoken language development by hearing-impaired children who have been provided with a hearing aid or cochlear implant and about ways to facilitate such development through the provision of AVT. A key component will be the implementation and evaluation of computer-based therapy, in the child’s home, as a supplement to ongoing clinic-or school-based AVT.
