Tech & Learning - June 2008 - (Page 45)

W W W.T E C H L E A R N I N G . C O M The main components of a soundfield system are the teacher’s microphone and transmitter, a receiver, an audio amplifier, and multiple loudspeakers — “a minimum of four is needed,” says Hogerson — strategically placed around the room. The goal is to get consistent levels of audio no matter where a student is sitting in the room. Other multimedia products such as DVD players or computers are also connected to the audio amplifier. The best option for the teacher’s microphone is a head-worn or neck-worn unit that keeps a microphone element next to the mouth at all times. This allows the teacher to move around the room and even face away from the class while still being heard. Gentner says some hearing-impaired students may refuse to use a personal assistive listening system out of embar- WHERE TO FIND AUDIO PRODUCTS FOR THE CLASSROOM Audio Enhancement www.audioenhancement.com Bose www.bose.com Califone www.califone.com Front Row www.gofrontrow.com Lightspeed Technologies www.lightspeed-tek.com Listen Technologies Corporation www.listentech.com TeachLogic www.teachlogic.com Telex Communications www.telex.com/education rassment or the notion of inconvenience, but gladly use a soundfield because it won’t “mark” them as different from the other students. And everyone benefits, not just the hearingimpaired child,” he says. Gentner notes that many soundfield systems also have the ability to work with assistive listening devices, so it isn’t necessary to have two separate systems in the room to accommodate everyone. There is a secondary — but equally important — benefit of soundfield systems: teachers’ voices are spared from the strains of harsh daily use. “Teachers are among the most likely people to have a vocal problem sometime during their career — about 32 times more likely — due to the constant strain on their vocal cords,” Front Row’s Merline says. There is another subtle problem, he says: “The louder voices used in a http://WWW.TECHLEARNING.COM http://www.audioenhancement.com http://www.bose.com http://www.califone.com http://www.gofrontrow.com http://www.lightspeed-tek.com http://www.listentech.com http://www.teachlogic.com http://www.telex.com/education http://www.eduplatform.net http://www.eduplatform.net

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Technology & Learning - June 2008 Contents Editor's Desk News & Trends They Said It: What Tech&Learning Insiders Are Writing Online Junket Justifiers Back Office Business Students of the World Unite! Get Small for Fall Summer Reading for School Leaders They Can Hear You Now What's New - NECC Highlights and More Leader of the Year Profile

Technology & Learning - June 2008

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