Directions for Research to Improve Hearing Aids and Services for the Hearing Impaired

摘要

Areas of research which could result in significant improvements in sensory aids for persons with hearing impairment are identified. The degradation of hearing-aid performance in noisy and reverberant environments is stressed and its elimination is given high priority. Research and development of improved techniques for evaluation of hearing aids is emphasized. Basic research on the characteristics of the impaired auditory system is suggested. Investigations of perceptual learning are especially relevant since auditory learning and learning to lipread are essential skills for the hearing-impaired. Research related to the hearing-impaired infant or child is of special importance. Finally, studies of the distribution of existing services to the hearing impaired population are briefly mentioned. Here matters of information flow and training are stressed.