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OCR for page 39
Problems of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing 3g
to be solved by abstract applications of genetic principles, but re-
quire the cooperative work of physicists, physiologists, sociologists,
psychologists, and medical men. The Conference believes that the
results of the research recorx~mended in this report will contribute
much toward the solution of these genetic problems.
VIII. RESEARCH PERSONNEL AND RESEARCH PROVISIONS
It is apparent to the Conference that personnel adequate to the under-
taking of the galaxy of investigations which have been outlined under
headings I to VI is not now available, and that the development of in-
vestigators competent to conduct many of the details will require time,
and will depend upon efforts intelligently directed toward such de-
velopment.
On the other hand, it is obvious that while certain features of the
program cart be commenced as soon as funds and personnel are avail-
able, other features will require a longer planning; and some will neces-
sarily await the completion of others upon which they will depend for
data and orientation. It should be possible, therefore, to carry out the
actual research coordinately with the effective development of research
personnel.
The sources of personnel will obviously be varied. A certain number
of investigators may be drawn from institutions for the deaf, these
requiring in most cases further training in scientific directions. Others
will be drawn from universities, and from the medical profession. These,
too, will, in general, need intensive supplemental training to adapt them
to the needs of the research.
Certain portions of the program may effectively be undertaken by
organizations now active in fields to which these problems pertain. Cer-
tain others may well be undertaken by university departments which are
adequately equipped and which are in efficient working relations with
Other departments cognate to the work, and with institutions for the deaf.
The problems of palmesthetic stimulation and of the use of visible
phonograms are illustrations of this type.
For other groups of problems, specific working units must be set up
under proper control and administration. The surveys of teaching and
supervisory personnel and the survey of curricula for example, may be
coordinately conducted by a single investigator with a small staff, per-
haps under the administration of the organization which should conduct
the population surveys. The development of methods for the rating of
portable microphone sets may well be carried out by a single investi-
gator under the direction of the Bureau of Standards. The legal and
OCR for page 40
40 Pro blends of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
economic surveys may well be taken under the wings of existing in-
stitutes for research in those subjects.
The establishment of the nursery school is believed to be one of the
most important of the major recommendations of the Conference, war-
ranting the establishment of a special commission for its further plan-
ning. The adjustmental work with older children may perhaps in large
measure await the development of the nursery school, and develop in
cooperation with it. The production of measures of capacity and
achievement should be accelerated as much as possible in the hands of a
unit giving the maximal proportion of their time to this work, since the
attack on many of the educational and other problems awaits the making
available of these measures.
A. PROVISIONS FOR THE TRAINING OF PERSONNEL
The Conference recommends:
I. That provision be made by which a limited number of capable
persons, sufficiently versed in the problems of the care and train-
ing of the deaf and hard of hearing from the institutional and
public school points of view, may be enabled to receive in uni-
versities one or two years of scientific training in lines appro-
priate to investigations which these persons will later undertake.
That a limited number of post-doctoral fellowships be made
available for persons trained in appropriate scientific lines, for
work in connection with favorable institutions for the deaf
under suitable scientific direction.
That steps be taken to acquaint various scientific departments
throughout the United States and Canada with the research pro-
gram herein presented, with the need of drawing highly capable
persons into this work, and with the existence of problems sup-
plementary to this program which may well receive the attention
of graduate students planning doctoral research.
B. A NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE
The Conference recomwlends that the National Research Council
be requested to establish in the Division of Anthropology and Psy-
chology a small advisory committee with continuing personnel,
which shall, for a period of five years, endeavor to forward in all
ways the carrying out of the Conference's recommendations, and
which shall serve as a centre of coordination for the various
organizations, institutions, groups and individuals which may engage
in the work.
NOTE ~
The terminology of the field of auditory disability is at present some-
what awkward. In this program, the word deaf is used to indicate the
OCR for page 41
Pro bleats of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing 4~
condition in which the auditory capacity is so low as to be virtually use-
less. This is in agreement with technical usage, although opposed to
popular usage. For the total absence of auditory capacity, anacousia
(with the adjective anacousic) should be employed. For the condition
in which the hearing ability is of some value, the technical term hypa-
cousia is employed (with the adjective hypaco?~sic); and hypacousic
individuals may be referred to as hypaconsics. These are the individuals
who are commonly described as " hard of hearing."
Both deafness and hypacousia are properly described as auditory de-
ficiency, and the deaf and hypacousic may be conveniently classed as
auditorily deficient.
The loss of normal hearing, once possessed by the individual, is prop-
erly described as auditory impairment, and individuals whose hearing has
been significantly impaired are described as deafened.
Instruments for measuring auditory capacity and deficiency have long
been known by the standardized name of acoumeters. The hybrid term
" audiometer " has also been applied to a number of instruments of the
same types to which the name acoumeter is applied, but in the United
States at present is generally tolled as referring to the improved acou-
meters developed in the Bell Telephone Laboratories.
NOTE 2
GENERATE PRINCIPLES GOVERNING POPULATION SURVEYS, WITH
ESPECIAL REFERENCE TO SURVEYS OF AUDITORY DEFICIENCY
I. Three major problems must be recognized in undertaking any
scientific survey, namely:
a. That of defining the purposes of the surveys.
b. That of securing objectivity and standardization in observ-
ing and recording auditory deficiency of different types for
sufficiently large samples of the population.
c. That of scope and methodology in attaining the purposes
which surveys are to serve.
2. The major objectives of surveys of auditory deficiency appear
to be three in number, all of which are closely related, and under
each of which may be classified a variety of specific objectives.
These three objectives are:
a. The prevalence of different types and degrees of auditory
deficiency in the population.
b. The association of auditory deficiency of different types and
degrees with various conditions and factors for the purpose
of determining causal relationships.
c. The efficacy of preventive, adaptive and curative measures.
OCR for page 42
4 ~Problems of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
3. Taking up these objectives in the order given above, some of the
detailed considerations that have been discussed may be men-
tioned briefly:
a. On the prevalence of auditory deficiency, certain possible fac
tors ordinarily connoted by the term " demographic " should
be taken into' account, viz:
(~) Sex and age
(~) Race and nativity
(3) Urban and rural environment
(4) Economic status
(5) Scholastic or educational attainments
(6) Intelligence
These factors to be determined for normal as well as affected
persons in any group surveyed.
b. In attempting to ascertain correlations of auditory deficiency
with possible causative and influencing factors, certain specific
objectives suggest themselves, viz:
The past incidence or present existence of those diseases
and defects which might be suspected of significance;
history of accidents.
(2) The eRect of environmental conditions, particularly
those involved in occupation, such as dust, noise. etc.
(3) The extent to which inheritance of physiological and
anatomical conditions is a factor.
c. In surveying the general extent of adaptation and adaptive
methods, account ought to be taken of natural adjustment
of the auditorily deficient to their environment, as well as of
measures that have been devised and put into operation.
Among these specific objectives may be mentioned:
(~) The extent to which the "hard of hearing" (by type
and degree) realize their own impairment.
(2) The incidence of auditory deficiencies (by type and
degree) among persons in different kinds of occupations.
(3) The economic or earning ability of persons of varying
types arid degrees of auditory deficiency.
(4) The comparison of trained and untrained auditorily
deficient individuals of a given degree and type with
degree, among persons in different kinds of occupations.
(5) The attitude of employers and other employees to per-
sons affected.
OCR for page 43
Problems of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing 43
4. Objectivity and standardization of observation.
a. A preliminary experimental survey is regarded as highly
desirable for the purposes of
(~) Perfecting the use of acoumetric instruments in such
surveys, particularly with regard to method of dealing
with the elements of interest and intelligence on the
part of the subject and of outside interference.
(~) Ascertaining the best ways of collecting data on the
various factors involved.
(3) Agreement upon, and standardization of, terms and
statistical units.
(4) The training of a group of investigators to direct the
larger surveys as well as the more specific studies.
b. In the use of acoumetric measurement, at least for the pre-
liminary surveys, it is regarded as desirable to select a random
sampling of the population by house-to-house investigation,
obtaining data along the lines discussed above, and by measur-
ing the hearing of the subject.
In the measurement of the hearing of the subject, it would
be desirable to measure by both bone conduction and air
conduction through the audibility range. This would involve
a tremendous amount of work, however, and it seems to
place obstacles in the way of such a survey being under-
taken. As an alternative it is suggested that the following
method be used:
The hearing of the subject by air conduction should be
measured at a low frequency, an intermediate frequency, and
a high frequency. A person who could hear a standard in-
tensity at each of these points would be passed as of
" normal " hearing. A person who failed at any point would
be considered as a subject to' be referred to some central
investigation point. The central investigation point should be
equipped with complete apparatus to measure hearing, and
a determination of the hearing by air and bone conduction
should be made. This should be supplemented by a careful
orological examination. Since only a small percentage of the
people in the community would be referred to this central
investigation point, this phase of the plan seems feasible.
For the test to be conducted in the home at the three
pitch points, for example, loo cycles, loon cycles and 6000
cycles, a small portable " audiometer " could be provided.
OCR for page 44
44 Problems of the Deaf and Harc! of Hearing
5. Methods and scope of surveys. Certain basic postulates have
been considered, as follows:
a. It is clearly necessary, in making surveys for these purposes,
and in analyzing the results, that many of the possible factors
suggested above should be observed not only for persons
with normal hearing, but also for persons with defective
hearing.
b. In determining the degree of association between any one
possible factor and the existence of defective hearing, sev-
eral other factors must be held constant, and provision
should be made for the necessary observations and records
for this purpose.
c. Although the possible causal and adaptive relationships
may be studied for a specific population group, i. e., limited
by selection as to sex, age, race or nativity, and intelligence,
it is assumed that to ascertain the magnitude of the problem
is a major objective, and that actual conditions in a con-
siderable sample of the population should be observed. At
the same time, it appears feasible to extend the inquiry, in
certain of its phases, to a considerable sample or series of
samples, and to restrict the study of other phases to smaller
groups.
Representative terms from entire chapter:
auditorily deficient
