AEI partners with congressmen for classroom technology

The Alabama Ear Institute recently partnered with the offices of Congressman Artur Davis and Congressman Mike Rogers to implement the placement of sound field systems in classrooms in their districts.

Having received the donation of four classroom sound field systems AEI wanted to maximize the visibility of donating this technology to classrooms in rural portions of Alabama where local school systems lacked the funding for these improvements. Since the districts of both Congressman Davis and Congressman Rogers are located in rural portions of Alabama, AEI contacted their offices for assistance in identifying the schools to receive the amplification systems.

Each congressman was delighted to be invited to participate in this project and gladly assisted in helping the Alabama Ear Institue in donating this classroom technology. 

Congressman Mike Rogers

Congressman Mike Rogers, Wendy Banks (3rd Grade Teacher), Harry Wooten & Principal Joe Ross at Dadeville Elementary School

 Coordinated through each congressman’s office, press conferences were held at each school with the objective to increase public awareness of the impact that this technology provides to all students and not just those with hearing loss. Systems were given to different schools in each district who met the demographic criteria.

Research now confirms that reading skills are developed in the auditory cortex portion of the brain. The earlier and more efficiently we can provide a child access to meaningful exposure to sound will increase their ability to hear with positive affects on educational outcomes.

Statistics supporting the use of sound field amplification systems in classrooms is conclusive as documented and indicated above by the growing number of states and school systems implementing them into their classrooms. The Alabama Ear Institute recognizes that sound field amplification systems show proven results for all children and not just those with hearing loss. Consequently, the Alabama Ear Institute (AEI) considers its involvement and leadership in pursuing the installation of these systems in all classrooms in the state of Alabama as a natural and justified initiative in its mission of improving the quality of life for individuals with hearing loss and their families.

Classroom sound field amplification systems are a simple and proven method of improving the quality of all children. Research indicates that test scores increase, time on task increases, dicipline problems decrease improving classroom management and teacher fatique and voice stress is drastically reduced.

Feedback received from each of the schools where systems were donated confirms the same affects as indicated through previous research findings.