Subject: Re: auditory training for the blind From: Daniel Rowan <dr(at)ISVR.SOTON.AC.UK> Date: Fri, 3 Jun 2005 09:33:46 +0100Moore and King have a small section (5.5, p149) on blindness in their recent chapter "Plasticity of Binaural Systems" in the book: Plasticity of the Auditory System Series: Springer Handbook of Auditory Research, Vol. 23 Parks, T.N.; Rubel, E.W.; Fay, R.R.; Popper, A.N. (Eds.) 2004, XII, 324 p. 48 illus., Hardcover ISBN: 0-387-20986-7 > 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 > > > > > > > -- > Internal Virus Database is out-of-date. > Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. > Version: 7.0.308 / Virus Database: 266.11.11 - Release Date: 16/05/05 > > -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.322 / Virus Database: 267.3.1 - Release Date: 31/05/05