Structual variables and their relationship to background noise levels and reverberation times in unoccupied classrooms

Abstract

The classroom environment is often filled with deterrents that hamper a child’s ability to listen and learn. These deterrents include background noise and reverberation leading to poor signal-to-noise ratios that can interfere with learning. By examining the acoustical conditions for speech communication in the classroom, it is evident that the acoustical environment in classrooms can affect the achievement and educational performance of children with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), children with normal-hearing sensitivity who have other auditory learning difficulties, as well as elementary school children with no verbal or hearing disabilities. The purpose of this study was to measure reverberation and background noise levels in 32 different unoccupied elementary classrooms in eight different public school buildings in Central Ohio. These measurements were then compared to the external and internal criteria variables developed [Crandell et al., ‘‘Sound-Field FM amplification theory and practical applications’’ (1995)] to determine if a relationship existed between classroom background noise levels and reverberation and the building criteria variables. Data were analyzed for overall noise level, reverberation time, and correlation between the reverberation time and internal/external criteria variables.