The Use of Sound-Field Amplification Devices in Different Types of Classrooms

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine if sound-field amplification (SFA) devices affected student performance in 3 different types of classrooms. Method: The classroom performance of 147 children (77 males, 70 females, ages 8; 2 [ years; months] +/- 5 months) was measured at the beginning and end of the second semester of their third year in 1 of 4 primary schools in Brisbane, Australia. Each school contained 2 participating classrooms, 1 with and 1 without an SFA device. Results: The SFA devices contributed to small but significant improvements in student listening (p < .01) and auditory analysis (p < .05) skills, but only in the school where the participating classrooms were in a brick building (vs. a demountable building) with neighboring classrooms separated by solid walls (vs. open spaces). The classrooms in this school showed the lowest background noise measures (47-50 dB 1 hr, A weighted) and the second lowest reverberation times (0.87-0.91 s) overall, although these values still exceeded the maximums recommended by American National Standards Institute S12.60-2002 (2002). Conclusion: These results suggest that any potential benefits of SFA devices are more likely to be realized in classrooms with better acoustics.