Educational Audiology Services in the Los Angeles Public Schools Gwen Severance, AuD, Educational Audiologist LAUSD Melissa Garafalo, AuD, Educational Audiologist LACOE Margaret Moretti, MA, Educational Audiologist LACOE April 26, 2014 Learning Objectives 1. Identify primary audiology contacts for Los Angeles Unified School District and Los Angeles County Office of Education 2. Name 3 assistive listening devices that can be used in the educational setting 3. Write 3 possible educational related recommendations for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students 4. Understand the role of the Educational Audiologist 1
What is an educational audiologist? Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0johvd -fdq 720 Square Miles 640,000 Students 900 Schools 187 Public Charter Schools Los Angeles Unified School District Educational Audiology Program The Audiologic Resource Unit (ARU) is staffed by 16 Educational Audiologists located throughout the district Search and Serve department Four test booths located within the LAUSD 2
LAUSD Audiology Booth Locations Valley: Daniel Pearl High School (West Valley SEC) Phone: 818-654-3590 Fax: 818-705-2497 West: Marlton School for the Deaf Phone: 323-293-0985 Fax: 323-293-0814 East: Perez Special Education Center Phone: 323-269-0681 Fax: 323-262-7781 South: Doyle Career & Transition Center (formerly Sellery SEC) Phone: 310-965-7906 Fax: 310-965-7912 LAUSD Educational Audiology We serve ages birth to 22, general education and special education students Infant program birth-3 home visits, center based services Diagnostic testing for possible hearing loss and central auditory processing disorders Receive referrals from failed hearing screenings, concerned parents/school staff Interpret audiologic data provided by outside sources (hospitals, private clinics) in a way that is understandable to school personnel Act as a liaison between these agencies and the school Make referrals for appropriate services Medical follow up Special Education Services Carry a caseload of DHH students providing direct services aural habilitation Fit and monitor appropriate amplification for qualified students Counsel hearing impaired students and their families regarding their hearing needs Provide in-services to students/staff on Hearing Conservation 3
Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) Audiology Program 9 audiologists on staff serving 25 districts Services are provided to students with documented hearing losses (not Search & Serve ) 3 main office locations LACOE Audiology Booth Locations Southwest Region: Redondo Beach Phone: 310-372-2409 Fax: 310-372-8038 Southeast Region: Downey Phone: 562-922-6173 Fax: 562-861-7629 East San Gabriel Valley: Covina Phone: 626-967-2806 Fax: 626-859-2837 LACOE Educational Audiology Serve ages birth to 22 years with documented hearing loss Referral is made from school districts to our programs Carry a caseload of students who are DHH with educationally significant hearing loss Complete audiologic evaluation for students on our caseloads & interpret/coordinate with outside testing & dispensing facilities Assist families with obtaining CCS Attend IEP meetings 4
Make appropriate referrals Fit and manage amplification for use at school, including hearing aids & FM Counsel families & school staff regarding hearing loss & impact of hearing loss on speech/language development & academics In-service teachers re: hearing loss & FM systems Provide aural habilitation to some students in LACOE center based DHH programs LACOE Educational Audiology Provides audiologic services to the following districts: Bellflower USD, Beverly Hills USD, Centinela Valley UHSD, Compton USD, Culver City USD, Downey USD, El Segundo USD, Hacienda La Puente USD, Hawthorne SD, Hermosa Beach CSD, Inglewood USD, Lawndale SD, Lennox SD, Lynwood USD, Manhattan Beach USD, Montebello USD, Palos Verdes Peninsula USD, Paramount USD, Redondo Beach USD, Santa Monica Malibu USD, Torrance USD, Wiseburn USD Only provides center-based audiologic services to the following districts: Norwalk-La Mirada USD, WACSEP (all districts) Other areas/services: East San Gabriel Valley (LACOE Program), LACOE Juvenile Courts Schools Incidence of Hearing Loss: LAUSD LAUSD has ~1850 hearing impaired students who receive special education services ~400 are in special day classes for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing ~250 students attend Marlton School for the Deaf ~1200 are itinerant students attending their home schools throughout the district ~ 800 students have been fit with some form of technology/amplification, which needs to be monitored by school personnel 5
Incidence of Hearing Loss: LACOE Southwest: Special Day Class: 48 Itinerant: 204 Infant: 32 Southeast: Special Day Class: 105 Itinerant: 195 Infant: 55 East San Gabriel Valley/Juvenile Courts: Varies Why do hearing-impaired students need classroom hearing technology? What are some benefits and limitations? Which children with hearing loss benefit from using hearing technology? Any child in ANY situation with background noise Any child in ANY group situation Any child in ANY situation where they are receiving new information Any child in ANY situation where the speaker moves around the room Any child who has ANY distortion in their hearing Any child with a poorly developed language structure Any child who is listening in their second language 6
Why would some hearing-impaired students NOT benefit from classroom hearing technology? Why would some students who are DHH NOT benefit from FM? Educational need? Classroom size Academic versus life skills class Classroom Aide Hearing Assistive Technology / FM / Infrared DISCLAIMER: A selection of frequently used manufacturers/vendors will be presented. This is not exhaustive & is not intended as an endorsement for any particular product. 7
Which FM System is Most Ideal? Personal Desktop Soundfield Considerations for FM Selection Current personal amplification use Listening needs of the student Classroom acoustics Classroom size Is the student a reliable reporter? Is the student WILLING to use the FM system? Technology Selection Can/will the student report on the functioning of the system? Yes: Is the student willing to wear ear-level FM? No: Desktop / Soundfield Options: Is the student willing to have something on their desk? No No: Consider a soundfield system Yes: Consider personal FM Yes: Consider a desktop system 8
Parts to the FM/Wireless System All FM/wireless systems have 2 components Receiver: Small receiver attached to hearing aid or bluetooth device Neckloop Speaker Transmitter: Teacher microphone system Transmitter Teacher microphone Personal (ear level) technology FM receivers that attach to the student s hearing aid or cochlear implant 9
Personal FM Options with Hearing Aids Neckloop Using telecoil technology with personal hearing aids Requires 2 nd program Booted FM Requires hearing aid programming to identify the receiver Personal FM with Cochlear Implants Neckloop Ear-level Personal FM with Streaming Devices Using HA/CI that is compatible with a streaming device Still requires a FM receiver 10
Other Personal FM Options without Hearing Aids Headset Ear-level without amplification Speaker Systems Classroom FM Desktop/Toteable 11
Who decides which FM system is used? Educational audiologist makes the recommendation to the team What if the clinical/dispensing audiologist has input? Contact the educational audiologist to discuss your concerns before speaking to the family Encourage the family to talk to their educational audiologist re: FM use in the classroom Recommendations from the Clinical/Dispensing Audiologist Keep in mind that how a child appears in a 30-minute appointment can differ greatly from how they function in a classroom Students with good speech discrimination scores can struggle with auditory comprehension If you have a question or concern about a student, ask the educational audiologist Remember to consider FM use when selecting hearing aids RIC, custom products Counsel parents re: telecoil, DAI, & streamer options Recommendations from the Clinical/Dispensing Audiologist Good recommendations: Discuss FM options with school Strategic classroom seating Full time amplification use Continue current services Key words: Discuss, Consider Avoid: Specific FM recommendations Personal FM use in the classroom Soundfield FM use Use of Phonak MLXi with Inspiro Prescriptions for FM or specific types of therapies Specifying programs or services 12
What about the UHL/Mild HL? At higher risk for language, speech, & learning difficulties compared to typically hearing peers Birth to 3: Qualify for Part C services School aged: Most likely will qualify for special education as a DHH student What can we do to better collaborate? Communicate re: questions/concerns Provide audiograms Carbon copies are often difficult to read Release of information Questions? 13