An acouistic investigation of the inclusive classrooms of hearing impaired individuals and a case study

Inclusive education method makes a huge contribution to hearing impaired (HI) individuals in terms of education and socialization. However, in the implementation stage of this method, it is seen that the speech intelligibility and correspondingly HI's education quality has been negatively affected due to the inappropriate physical environment and acoustic comfort conditions. According to the literature review, it is seen that acoustic comfort conditions of the inclusive education places for HI individuals are not determined and subjective evaluation studies over HI individuals are quite a few. In this thesis, it is aimed to determine the acoustic comfort conditions of the inclusive education places used by HI individuals and to test these conditions in terms of speech intelligibility through a field study. In accordance with this objective, the acoustic comfort conditions of inclusive education places used for the education of both HI individuals and normal hearing (NH) peers were determined. In order to make a subjective examination of the determined acoustic conditions, 2 classes were selected as a sample study area providing inclusive education and special education to HI individuals. Acoustic measurements and questionnaires were used to compile data on the current acoustic conditions of both classes. In order to make a subjective evaluation of the effect of acoustic conditions on speech intelligibility, speech discrimination tests were applied in the current field and under laboratory conditions. As a result of field measurements and questionnaires, it is found that the inclusive education class was acoustically insufficient and the special education class was acoustically sufficient. In subjective evaluation studies over speech intelligibility, it is found that acoustic comfort conditions have a positive effect on NH individuals, it is seen as unclear for HI individuals due to the difference in their hearing aids.