Re: auditory training for the blind (John Neuhoff )


Subject: Re: auditory training for the blind
From:    John Neuhoff  <jneuhoff(at)WOOSTER.EDU>
Date:    Tue, 31 May 2005 21:36:13 -0400
         http://www.intellireach.com

There has been some work on echolocation. The basic problem for mobility trainers seems to be that there are huge individual differences in the ability to echolocate. Some people do it amazingly well, (one case study examined the ability of a blind 11-year-old boy to ride a bicycle while avoiding obstacles (McCarty & Worchel, 1954)) .Others never really get it even with massive amount of training. It's also been quite difficult to find a predictor of echolocation performance. The experimental work began in the 1940's with several very thoroguh experiments by Dallenbach & colleagues. Larry Rosenblum and Dan Ashmead have done some work recently in this area. For reviews see: Neuhoff, J. G. (2004). Auditory motion and localization. In J.G. Neuhoff (Ed.) Ecological Psychoacoustics. New York: Academic Press. Stoffregen, T. A., & Pittenger, J. B. (1995). Human echolocation as a basic form of perception and action. Ecological Psychology, 7, 181-216. Here are a few other references as well: Arias, C., Curet, C. A., Moyano, H. F., Joekes, S., et al. (1993). Echolocation: A study of auditory functioning in blind and sighted subjects. Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness, 87(3), 73-77. Ashmead, D. H., Wall, R. S., Eaton, S. B., Ebinger, K. A., Snook-Hill, M.-M., Guth, D. A., & Yang, X. (1998). Echolocation reconsidered: Using spatial variations in the ambient sound field to guide locomotion. Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness, 92, 615-632. Dallenbach, K. M. (1941). Facial vision: The perception of obstacles by the blind. Psychological Bulletin, 38, 610-611. McCarty, B., & Worchel, P. (1954). Rate of motion and object perception in the blind. New Outlook for the Blind, 48, 316-322. Rice, C. E., Feinstein, S. H., & Schusterman, R. J. (1965). Echo-detection ability of the blind: Size and distance factors. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 70, 246-251. Rosenblum, L. D., Gordon, M. S., & Jarquin, L. (2000). Echolocating distance by moving and stationary listeners. Ecological Psychology, 12, 181-206. Taylor, J. G. (1966). Perception generated by training echolocation. Canadian Journal of Psychology, 20, 64-81. -John Neuhoff ________________________________ John G. Neuhoff Department of Psychology The College of Wooster Wooster, OH 44691 Phone: 330-263-2475 http://jneuhoff.com ----- Original Message ----- From: "Thomas G Brennan" <g_brennantg(at)TITAN.SFASU.EDU> To: <AUDITORY(at)LISTS.MCGILL.CA> Sent: Tuesday, May 31, 2005 7:03 PM Subject: Re: auditory training for the blind > Matt, as a blind audiologist this has always been a concern to me. The > first > question that seems important in terms of auditory training for the blind > is > that of echo location. There is very little material out there and > orientation > and mobility trainers do not do auditory training and so far as I know > very few > audiologist have programs specifically designed for bliend clients. > > Tom > > > Tom Brennan KD5VIJ, CCC-A/SLP > web page http://titan.sfasu.edu/~g_brennantg/sonicpage.html >


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