Intelligibility Index Research Articles

Impact of size at birth and postnatal growth on metabolic and neurocognitive outcomes in prematurely born school-age children

Prematurity, size at birth, and postnatal growth are important factors that determine cardiometabolic and neurodevelopmental outcomes later in life. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the associations between the size at birth and growth velocity after birth with cardiometabolic and neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants. Fifty-six preterm infants born at < 32 weeks of gestation or having a birth weight of < 1500 g were enrolled and categorized into small for gestational age (SGA) and appropriate for gestational age (AGA) groups. Anthropometric and cardiometabolic parameters were assessed at school-age, and the Korean Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, fourth edition (K-WISC-IV) was used for assessing the intellectual abilities. The growth velocity was calculated by changes in the weight z-score at each time period. Multivariate analysis was conducted to investigate the associations of growth velocity at different periods with cardiometabolic and neurodevelopmental outcomes. Forty-two (75%) were classified as AGA and 25% as SGA. At school-age, despite the SGA children showing significantly lower body weight, lean mass index, and body mass index, there were no differences in the cardiometabolic parameters between SGA and AGA groups. After adjusting for gestational age, birth weight z-score, weight z-score change from birth to discharge and sex, change in weight z-score beyond 12 months were associated with a higher systolic blood pressure, waist circumference, and insulin resistance. Full-scale intelligent quotient (β = 0.314, p = 0.036) and perceptional reasoning index (β = 0.456, p = 0.003) of K-WISC-IV were positively correlated with postnatal weight gain in the neonatal intensive care unit. Although cardiometabolic outcomes were comparable in preterm SGA and AGA infants, the growth velocity at different time periods resulted in different cardiometabolic and neurocognitive outcomes. Thus, ensuring an optimal growth velocity at early neonatal period could promote good neurocognitive outcomes, while adequate growth after 1 year could prevent adverse cardiometabolic outcomes in preterm infants.

Influence of aided audibility on speech recognition performance with frequency composition for children and adults

Objective The primary purpose of this project was to evaluate the influence of speech audibility on speech recognition with frequency composition, a frequency-lowering algorithm used in hearing aids. Design Participants were tested to determine word and sentence recognition thresholds in background noise, with and without frequency composition. The audibility of speech was quantified using the speech intelligibility index (SII). Study Sample Participants included 17 children (ages 6–16) and 21 adults (ages 19 to 72) with bilateral mild-to-severe sensorineural hearing loss. Results Word and sentence recognition thresholds did not change significantly with frequency composition. Participants with better aided speech audibility had better speech recognition in noise, regardless of processing condition, than those with poorer aided audibility. For the child participants, changes in the word recognition threshold between processing conditions were predictable from aided speech audibility. However, this relationship depended strongly on one participant with a low SII and otherwise, changes in speech recognition between frequency composition off and on were not predicable from aided speech audibility. Conclusion While these results suggest that children who have a low-aided SII may benefit from frequency composition, further data are needed to generalise these findings to a greater number of participants and variety of stimuli.

Contributions of Age-Related and Audibility-Related Deficits to Aided Consonant Identification in Presbycusis: A Causal-Inference Analysis.

The decline of speech intelligibility in presbycusis can be regarded as resulting from the combined contribution of two main groups of factors: (1) audibility-related factors and (2) age-related factors. In particular, there is now an abundant scientific literature on the crucial role of suprathreshold auditory abilities and cognitive functions, which have been found to decline with age even in the absence of audiometric hearing loss. However, researchers investigating the direct effect of aging in presbycusis have to deal with the methodological issue that age and peripheral hearing loss covary to a large extent. In the present study, we analyzed a dataset of consonant-identification scores measured in quiet and in noise for a large cohort (n = 459, age = 42–92) of hearing-impaired (HI) and normal-hearing (NH) listeners. HI listeners were provided with a frequency-dependent amplification adjusted to their audiometric profile. Their scores in the two conditions were predicted from their pure-tone average (PTA) and age, as well as from their Extended Speech Intelligibility Index (ESII), a measure of the impact of audibility loss on speech intelligibility. We relied on a causal-inference approach combined with Bayesian modeling to disentangle the direct causal effects of age and audibility on intelligibility from the indirect effect of age on hearing loss. The analysis revealed that the direct effect of PTA on HI intelligibility scores was 5 times higher than the effect of age. This overwhelming effect of PTA was not due to a residual audibility loss despite amplification, as confirmed by a ESII-based model. More plausibly, the marginal role of age could be a consequence of the relatively little cognitively-demanding task used in this study. Furthermore, the amount of variance in intelligibility scores was smaller for NH than HI listeners, even after accounting for age and audibility, reflecting the presence of additional suprathreshold deficits in the latter group. Although the non-sense-syllable materials and the particular amplification settings used in this study potentially restrict the generalization of the findings, we think that these promising results call for a wider use of causal-inference analysis in audiology, e.g., as a way to disentangle the influence of the various cognitive factors and suprathreshold deficits associated to presbycusis.

Binaural speech-to-noise loudness ratio at the speech reception threshold in vehicles

Traditional methods for predicting the intelligibility of speech in the presence of noise inside a vehicle, such as the Articulation Index (AI), the Speech Intelligibility Index (SII), and the Speech Transmission Index (STI), are not accurate, probably because they do not take binaural listening into account; the signals reaching the two ears can differ markedly depending on the positions of the talker and listener. We propose a new method for predicting the intelligibility of speech in a vehicle, based on the ratio of the binaural loudness of the speech to the binaural loudness of the noise, each calculated using the method specified in ISO 532-2 (2017). The method was found to give accurate predictions of the speech reception threshold (SRT) measured under a variety of conditions and for different positions of the talker and listener in a car. The typical error in the predicted SRT was 1.3 dB, which is markedly smaller than estimated using the SII and STI (2.0 dB and 2.1 dB, respectively).

Speech Intelligibility Analysis and Approximation to Room Parameters through the Internet of Things

In recent years, Wireless Acoustic Sensor Networks (WASN) have been widely applied to different acoustic fields in outdoor and indoor environments. Most of these applications are oriented to locate or identify sources and measure specific features of the environment involved. In this paper, we study the application of a WASN for room acoustic measurements. To evaluate the acoustic characteristics, a set of Raspberry Pi 3 (RPi) has been used. One is used to play different acoustic signals and four are used to record at different points in the room simultaneously. The signals are sent wirelessly to a computer connected to a server, where using MATLAB we calculate both the impulse response (IR), and different acoustic parameters, such as the Speech Intelligibility Index (SII). In this way, the evaluation of room acoustic parameters with asynchronous IR measurements two different applications has been explored. Finally, the network features have been evaluated to assess the effectiveness of this system.

Intelligibility prediction for speech mixed with white Gaussian noise at low signal-to-noise ratios.

The effect of additive white Gaussian noise and high-pass filtering on speech intelligibility at signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) from -26 to 0 dB was evaluated using British English talkers and normal hearing listeners. SNRs below -10 dB were considered as they are relevant to speech security applications. Eight objective metrics were assessed: short-time objective intelligibility (STOI), a proposed variant termed STOI+, extended short-time objective intelligibility (ESTOI), normalised covariance metric (NCM), normalised subband envelope correlation metric (NSEC), two metrics derived from the coherence speech intelligibility index (CSII), and an envelope-based regression method speech transmission index (STI). For speech and noise mixtures associated with intelligibility scores ranging from 0% to 98%, STOI+ performed at least as well as other metrics and, under some conditions, better than STOI, ESTOI, STI, NSEC, CSIIMid, and CSIIHigh. Both STOI+ and NCM were associated with relatively low prediction error and bias for intelligibility prediction at SNRs from -26 to 0 dB. STI performed least well in terms of correlation with intelligibility scores, prediction error, bias, and reliability. Logistic regression modeling demonstrated that high-pass filtering, which increases the proportion of high to low frequency energy, was detrimental to intelligibility for SNRs between -5 and -17 dB inclusive.

Hierarchical dimensional models of psychopathology: yes, but….

Hierarchical dimensional models of psychopathology: yes, but….

Особенности понимания речи у детей с расстройствами аутистического спектра младшего школьного возраста

The objective of the present study is to investigate the relationship between the receptive language, and the index of non-verbal intelligence and the level of severity of autistic disorders in primary-school-aged children with Autism spectrum disorder. One of the main areas influenced by autistic disorders is communication. Therefore, the study of the language abilities of such children and factors that affect them provides a better approach to the therapy and education. The sample included 50 children aged 7–11 years diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders. Children were tested using the KORABLIK method (basic linguistic skills), the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (KABC-II) or the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children ― Third Edition (WISC-III) (non-verbal intelligence), the Autism Diagnosis Observation Schedule ― Second Edition (ADOS-II) (autistic traits). The results support the hypothesis of the relationship between receptive language skills, the index of non-verbal intelligence, and symptoms of autism. The severity of autistic traits is negatively associated with some phonological and lexical levels of the receptive speech, as well as with understanding of discourse. The non-verbal intelligence index is positively associated with speech comprehension at all levels. A specific feature of receptive language in children with Autism spectrum disorder aged 7–11 years is the uneven development, which is associated with the severity of autistic traits and is not associated with the intelligence level.

Selected Aspects of Information Security Management in Entities Performing Medical Activity

The article is devoted to the issues related to an information security management in medical entities. The healthcare entities have been amongst the prime targets for hackers for several years. According to the IBM report “The 2016 X-Force Cyber Security Intelligence Index” in 2015 most of the attacks were carried out against these entities. The years 2016 and 2017 also witnessed spectacular cyberattacks, for example: medical records breach of 3.3 million people because of an unauthorized access to a server in the US, some WannaCry ransomware attacks on the UK hospitals, some MongoDB Database Leaks in the US or NotPetya ransomware attacks in the US hospitals. Entities performing medical activity are processing personal data concerning health that is classified as a “sensitive data” and needs a special protection. The article presents the results of the survey – interviews with IT managers (or designated persons) in entities performing medical activity in Lodz Voivodeship in Poland. The aim of the research was analysis and evaluation of information security management in these entities. The interviews had been performed between December, 2017 and January, 2018. As the results of the research, the ways of information security management were identified (in particular such aspects as: characteristics of the information security teams, information security management system auditing, risk management, information security incidents, budgets for information security, training and the General Data Protection Regulation implementation). The paper also describes the types of information that should be protected in healthcare entities and characteristic of surveyed entities that subordinate to the local government of Lodz Voivodeship in Poland.

The Role of Social Intelligence in Overcoming Shyness among the Gifted

This study attempts to identify the manifestations of extreme shyness among students, shed light on the effect of counselling interventions in reducing the level of non-positive shyness, and highlight behavioural indicators that may lead to improved social interaction. The study researchers utilised a systematic approach to study a female gifted student with a high level of shyness that prevents her from engaging in normal social interaction. The study participant is a gifted student designated gifted as indicated by the Mawhiba scale in 2019-2020, and she was deliberately chosen for the purpose of this four-week case study. Multiple resources and a special tool for data collection were used to analyse the output and ultimately suggest a package of consultancy solutions for this study. The study reveals that the thorough and extensive consultancy program makes a remarkable impact on the characteristics of the study participant and to the same degree on the family and school. In addition, a number of specific strategies were identified as successful means in attaining reduced self-consciousness while increasing confidence and social interaction skills. From a quantitative perspective, the study utilises Sternberg’s emotional intelligence index and a shyness scale, which led the researchers to better understand the study participant's emotional intelligence and lower her level of shyness and inhibition.

Minimum Processing Beamforming

Most of the well-known classic beamformers have resulted from optimization problems that minimize a cost function such as the mean-square error (MSE) between the noisy speech and a reference clean speech. The rationale behind these formulations involves a speech-versus-noise dichotomy, where anything branded as noise shall be suppressed as much as possible. While leading to simple closed-form solutions and reasonably practical beamformers, this rationale has its own limitations, for instance, when the ambient noise provides context and is therefore not entirely undesirable. In this article, we offer a new rationale, where the output of the beamformer is minimally processed with respect to a certain reference signal, as long as a given performance criterion is fulfilled. We provide a case study where the performance criterion is inspired by the Speech Intelligibility Index (SII), and the processing penalty is MSE. Regarding the reference signal, we consider two cases. In the first case, the reference signal is set to the unprocessed recording from a reference microphone, giving rise to a beamformer that limits the processing of the noisy signal to a minimum necessary for fulfilling the intelligibility requirement. For the second case, the reference signal is the output of an aggressive beamformer, yielding a beamformer that essentially eliminates the noise unless the concomitant distortion of the clean speech violates the intelligibility requirement. Through simulation studies, we demonstrate some of the benefits that each of the two cases offer in relevant contexts.

Intelligent Indexing and Sorting Management System – Automated Search Indexing and Sorting of Various Topics

An issue that the majority of the databases face is the static and manual character of indexing activities. This traditional method of indexing and sorting different topics is confirmed to shake the dataset performance somewhat, making downtime and a potential effect in the presentation that is normally addressed by manually indexing operations. Numerous data mining methods can accelerate this process by using proper indexing structures. Choosing the appropriate index generally relies upon the kind of operation that the algorithm performs against the dataset. Topic indexing is the operation of recognizing the principal topics covered by a document. These are helpful for some reasons: as subject headings in libraries, as keywords in scholarly articles, and as hashtags on social media platforms. Knowing a document’s topic assists individuals with deciding its importance quickly. In any case, assigning topics manually is a tedious and redundant task. This paper shows the best way to create them automatically in a way that contends with manual indexing done by humans. This paper also talks about the issues and the techniques for identifying applicable data in a huge variety of documents. The contribution of this thesis to this issue is to foster better content analysis techniques that can be utilized to describe document content with automated index terms. Index terms can be used as meta-data that defines documents and is utilized for seeking various topics. The main point of this paper is to show the way toward creating an automatic indexer which analyzes the topic of documents by integrating proof from word frequencies and proof from the linguistic analysis given by a syntactic parser. The indexer weighs the expressions of a document as per their assessed significance for depicting the topic of a given document based on the content analysis.

Fit-to-Targets and Aided Speech Intelligibility Index Values for Hearing Aids Fitted to the DSL v5-Adult Prescription.

Matching hearing aid output levels to prescribed targets is a component of preferred practice, yet recent normative data on appropriateness of fittings are lacking. Verification measures that assess closeness of fit-to-target include raw deviations from target, root-mean-squared-error (RMSE) deviations from target, and aided Speech Intelligibility Index (SII) values. Establishing normative ranges for these measures may help hearing professionals determine whether a patient's fit-to-targets and/or aided speech audibility is typical for his or her degree of hearing loss. This article aims to characterize the range of fit-to-target and the range of aided SII associated with hearing aid fittings using the Desired Sensation Level version 5.0 (DSL v5-adult) prescription with adults, considering also hearing aid style, venting, and audiometric characteristics. A descriptive and correlational study of data collected from a retrospective chart review. Hearing aid fittings to 281 ears were compiled. The four-frequency average deviation from target (RMSE) was within ± 5 dB of target in 77% of fittings for mid-level speech. Deviation from targets increased with hearing loss, particularly when the loss is greater than 85 dB hearing level or if the loss was steeply sloping. Venting increased the deviation from targets in the low frequencies. Aided SII values strongly correlated with the participants' hearing thresholds. Clinical ranges for RMSE and aided SII were developed for characterization of fitting outcomes. Fitting to DSL v5-adult targets was observed within ± 5 dB absolute deviation, or within 5 dB RMSE, on average for typical adult hearing aid fittings. Confidence intervals for deviation from target and aided SII are proposed.

Development of the German Speech Intelligibility Index for the treatment of oral cancer patients

ObjectivesThis study aimed at 1) adapting the well-established Speech Handicap Index (SHI) to German, 2) testing the suitability of the instrument for assessing speech-related quality of life, 3) comparing it to the German Voice-Handicap-Index (VHI), in order to support treatment of oral cancer patients who experience posttreatment speech difficulties that affect their quality of life. Material and methodsParticipants completed a web-based survey that employed a 2 (experienced problem: speech/articulation-related vs. voice-related) x 2 (SHI vs. VHI) between-subject experimental design, enabling it to distinguish between the experiences of voice and intelligibility impairments, and to determine the discriminatory ability of the two instruments. ResultsThe German SHI reliably assessed speech intelligibility and articulation-related Quality of life. While voice impairments were equally well assessed by both, VHI: M 2.48, SD 0.65; SHI: M 2.52, SD 0.63; only the latter appropriately registered intelligibility handicap in speech impairments (VHI: M 2.05, SD 0.70; SHI: 2.68, SD 0.73). The responsivity of the SHI in capturing the experienced handicap was significantly greater in the speech/articulation-impairment condition (p = .001). ConclusionThe German SHI is a reliable and responsive measure for speech intelligibility and articulation-related quality of life that should be chosen in preference to the VHI.

Acoustical and Perceptual Analysis of Noise Reduction Strategies in Individuals With Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorders.

Purpose The conventional amplification devices render minimal or no benefit at abating the speech perception problems of individuals with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD). This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of noise reduction strategies (multiband spectral subtraction, Wiener-as, Karhunen-Loeve transform [Subspace], and ideal binary mask [IdBM] algorithm) on speech using speech perception measures and acoustic measure among individuals with ANSD. Method Two groups of participants (age: 17-43 years) were recruited in the study. Group I comprised 12 individuals with a confirmed diagnosis of ANSD and not exceeding moderate degree of hearing loss and Group II of 10 individuals with normal hearing in both ears. The signal-to-noise required for 50% speech recognition (SNR-50) was measured for the participants in five conditions, that is, unprocessed speech and speech processed with four noise reduction strategies. Additionally, an acoustic objective measure Extended Short-Time Objective Intelligibility algorithm was employed to estimate the intelligibility index across the conditions. Results Significant difference was found across conditions in both the groups. Pairwise comparison revealed significantly better speech perception on SNR-50 measure with IdBM strategy, for both the groups. No significant difference in SNR-50 was observed with other noise reduction strategies. IdBM condition also gave the highest intelligibility index (d) values using Extended Short-Time Objective Intelligibility algorithm. This finding needs to be verified on a larger group of individuals with ANSD. Conclusions IdBM noise reduction strategy rendered significantly lower SNR-50 compared to other noise reduction strategies for individuals with ANSD in this study. This provides clinical evidence for the same and also recommends trying on a larger group of participants before its implementation in hearing devices. Apart from this, the current strategies used in hearing aids provide no improvement in speech identification in noise for this population. Hence, though the present hearing aids may show benefit in quiet condition, chances of its rejection are high in noisy backgrounds.

The Korean Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status-Update : Psychiatric and Neurosurgery Patient Sample Validity.

ObjectiveThis study aimed to validate the Korean version of the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status Update (K-RBANS). MethodsWe performed a retrospective analysis of 283 psychiatric and neurosurgery patients. To investigate the convergent validity of the K-RBANS, correlation analyses were performed for other intelligence and neuropsychological test results. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test a series of alternative plausible models of the K-RBANS. To analyze the various capabilities of the K-RBANS, we compared the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves (AUC). ResultsSignificant correlations were observed, confirming the convergent validity of the K-RBANS among the Total Scale Index (TSI) and indices of the K-RBANS and indices of intelligence (r=0.47–0.81; p<0.001) and other neuropsychological tests at moderate and above significance (r=0.41–0.63; p<0.001). Additionally, the results testing the construct validity of the K-RBANS showed that the second-order factor structure model (model 2, similar to an original factor structure of RBANS), which includes a first-order factor comprising five index scores (immediate memory, visuospatial capacity, language, attention, delayed memory) and one higher-order factor (TSI), was statistically acceptable. The comparative fit index (CFI) (CFI, 0.949) values and the goodness of fit index (GFI) (GFI, 0.942) values higher than 0.90 indicated an excellent fit. The root mean squared error of approximation (RMSEA) (RMSEA, 0.082) was considered an acceptable fit. Additionally, the factor structure of model 2 was found to be better and more valid than the other model in χ2 values (Δχ2=7.69, p<0.05). In the ROC analysis, the AUCs of the TSI and five indices were 0.716–0.837, and the AUC of TSI (AUC, 0.837; 95% confidence interval, 0.760–0.896) was higher than the AUCs of the other indices. The sensitivity and specificity of TSI were 77.66% and 78.12%, respectively. ConclusionThe overall results of this study suggest that the K-RBANS may be used as a valid tool for the brief screening of neuropsychological patients in Korea.

Screening Social Justice: Performing Reparative Shakespeare against Vocal Disability

Abstract Many screen and stage adaptations of the classics are informed by a philosophical investment in literature’s reparative merit, a preconceived notion that performing the canon can make one a better person. Inspirational narratives, in particular, have instrumentalized the canon to serve socially reparative purposes. Social recuperation of disabled figures loom large in adaptation, and many reparative adaptations tap into a curative quality of Shakespearean texts. When Shakespeare’s phrases or texts are quoted, even in fragments, they serve as an index of intelligence of the speaker. Governing the disability narrative is the trope about Shakespeare’s therapeutic value. There are two strands of recuperative adaptations. The first is informed by the assumption that the dramatic situations exemplify moral universals. The second strand consists of adaptations that problematize heteronormativity and psychological universals in liberal humanist visions of the canon. This approach is self-conscious of deeply contextual meanings of the canon. As a result, it lends itself to the genres of parody, metatheatre, and metacinema. Through case studies of Tom Hooper’s King’s Speech, Cheah Chee Kong’s Chicken Rice War, and other adaptations that thematize vocal disorders, this article identifies a common trope in reparative performances of disability in order to highlight some questions the trope raises.

ORAL CANCER INFORMATION IN BRAZILIAN PORTUGUESE ON INTERNET: ANALYSIS OF GOOGLE, YOUTUBE, AND INSTAGRAM

Objective: To evaluate the quality of oral cancer information in Portuguese (Brazilian) on Google, YouTube, and Instagram. Study Design: The first 100 links of each platform characterized the initial sample. The sites and Instagram were evaluated using the JAMA criteria, the DISCERN instrument, and the Flesch intelligibility index. From the sites, the existence of the seal of quality (HONcode) was also registered. The usefulness of each video was classified as not useful (0 points), not very useful (1-3), moderately useful (4-7), and very useful (8-10). Results: Fifty-four sites, 39 Instagram posts, and 57 videos were evaluated. Thirty-three percent of sites and 48.7% of Instagram posts covered only 2 of the 4 JAMA criteria. For DISCERN, 37% and 33.3% of the sites exhibited low and moderate reliability, while 66.7% of Instagram content was of low confidence. The level of intelligibility for both was difficult. Only 3 websites exhibited the HONcode. Of the YouTube videos, 71.9% were moderately useful. Conclusion: Information on oral cancer on the internet is of poor quality. Faced with this, educational and governmental institutions have a responsibility to contribute through the production of content and the indication of reliable sources for the population. Objective: To evaluate the quality of oral cancer information in Portuguese (Brazilian) on Google, YouTube, and Instagram. Study Design: The first 100 links of each platform characterized the initial sample. The sites and Instagram were evaluated using the JAMA criteria, the DISCERN instrument, and the Flesch intelligibility index. From the sites, the existence of the seal of quality (HONcode) was also registered. The usefulness of each video was classified as not useful (0 points), not very useful (1-3), moderately useful (4-7), and very useful (8-10). Results: Fifty-four sites, 39 Instagram posts, and 57 videos were evaluated. Thirty-three percent of sites and 48.7% of Instagram posts covered only 2 of the 4 JAMA criteria. For DISCERN, 37% and 33.3% of the sites exhibited low and moderate reliability, while 66.7% of Instagram content was of low confidence. The level of intelligibility for both was difficult. Only 3 websites exhibited the HONcode. Of the YouTube videos, 71.9% were moderately useful. Conclusion: Information on oral cancer on the internet is of poor quality. Faced with this, educational and governmental institutions have a responsibility to contribute through the production of content and the indication of reliable sources for the population.

Individualized estimation of the Speech Intelligibility Index for short sentences: Test-retest reliability

The speech intelligibility index (SII) model was modified to allow individualized parameters. These parameters included the relative weights of speech cues in five octave-frequency bands ranging from 0.25 to 4 kHz, i.e., the band importance function, and the transfer function that allows the SII to generate predictions on speech-recognition scores. A Bayesian adaptive procedure, the quick-band-importance-function (qBIF) procedure, was utilized to enable efficient estimation of the SII parameters from individual listeners. In two experiments, the SII parameters were estimated for 30 normal-hearing adults using Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) sentences at speech levels of 55, 65, and 75 dB sound pressure level (in Experiment I) and for 15 hearing-impaired (HI) adult listeners using amplified IEEE or AzBio sentences (in Experiment II). In both experiments, even without prior training, the estimated model parameters showed satisfactory reliability between two runs of the qBIF procedure at least one week apart. For the HI listeners, inter-listener variability in most estimated SII parameters was larger than intra-listener variability of the qBIF procedure.

Analysis of the content of art education curriculum for the first-grade primary in the light of multiple intelligences strategy: تحليل محتوى منهج التربية الفنية للصف الأول الابتدائي في ضوء نظرية الذكاءات المتعددة

The study aimed to identify the degree of inclusion of multiple types of intelligence in the content of the art education curriculum sample, identify the distribution and balance of the indicators of multiple types of intelligence in the content of the art education curriculum sample, and identify the degree of inclusion of multiple types of intelligence in the content of the study sample, namely: (lesson preparation, lesson objectives, lesson presentation procedures). The researcher followed the descriptive analytical approach through analyzing the content represented in (the teacher/ teacher guide) for the art education curriculum, the first semester and revealing the degree of inclusion of multiple types of intelligence in the content of the study sample, namely: (preparation for the lesson, objectives of the lesson, procedures for presenting the lesson) and designed the researcher The content analysis list includes the seven specific types of intelligence (visual, linguistic, social, motor, environmental, personal, and logical intelligence) and indicators of each intelligence in the three curricular units (line and shape unit, color unit, flat and stereoscopic unit). The study showed the following: 1) There is a variation in the degrees of repetition observed for the seven components of intelligence in (line and shape) unit, and the logical intelligence index appeared high (17.70%), and low in motor intelligence (7.08%). 2) In (color) unit, the social intelligence index appeared high (18.18%), and there is a decrease in kinetic intelligence by (7.07%). 3) In (flat and stereoscopic formation) unit, the logical intelligence index appeared high (17.39%), and there is a decrease in kinetic intelligence (5.22%). The results also showed there is an imbalance between the components of intelligence with the content of the curriculum sample (The three units) with a high percentage of logical intelligence (17.13%) and low in motor intelligence by (6.42%). This contradicts with what the multiple intelligence theory emphasized regarding the necessity of balance and symmetrical distribution of intelligence with each other. In light of results, the study recommended the necessity of adopting the multiple intelligences theory in writing the content of art education curricula for the elementary stage.