drorit_participationin-confereces-2010-2013

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS –DR. Drorit Ben Itzhak Ben-Itzhak, D.1, Feldman,O.1, & Barkai, Y.1 (24/05/13). Perspectives on the habilitation of children with cochlear implants, The 11th, European Symposium on Paediatric Cochlear Implantatio, Istanbul, Turkey, poster presentation.

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Communication Sciences and Disorders, Health Professions, Ono Academic College, Kiryat Ono, Israel Abstract Introduction: This study aimed at comparing expectations and attitudes of professionals and students toward CI habilitation in children and toward selfperceived knowledge about CI. Method: Fifty participants - 25 professionals (communication clinicians and teachers of the deaf) and 25 fourth-year students in communication disorders - completed Most, Weizel & Ben-Itzhak's 2005 questionnaires tapping expectations, attitudes and knowledge of CI. Results and conclusions: Expectations were high in both groups, with student expectations higher regarding communication, self-image, academic achievements, social adjustment and family climate of implanted children. No differences were observed in self-perceived knowledge on hearing, language, cognition and socialemotional developments. The groups showed common attitudes towards communication mode, educational options and social inclusion, emphasizing implementation in accordance with children's capabilities. However, participants reported insufficient knowledge about mapping, costs and insurance, particularly among students.

Participants with diverse experience expressed their need for training programs relating to changes in candidacy criteria, different devices, mapping, maintenance, costs and insurance.

Ben-Itzhak, D.1 Horev, N.1, 2 , Eitan, R.1 and Harrison,A. 1 (16/10/12). The effects of noise on working memory performance in adults. The Israeli Society for Auditory research (ISAR) 2102 Annual Scientific Meeting, Tel Aviv University, poster presentation.

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Communication Sciences and Disorders, Health Professions, Ono Academic College, Kiryat Ono, Israel 2 Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa Abstract Introduction: Background noise can impair memory for complex material, especially when the competing noise is hard to ignore. The present study examines the influence of irrelevant babble noise on the rehearsal aspect of working memory, and the relation

between performance in noise and individual preference for studying in a quiet or noisy environment.

Method: Participants were forty female students with normal hearing, 20 – 30 years old, with no history of speech, language, learning or attention deficits and no prior knowledge relevant to the study.

Four lists of 4-7 words adopted from the FRIGVI (Friedmann & Gvion, 2003) were recorded by a female speaker in quiet and in babble noise (+8dB SNR), and presented randomly in both conditions. Participants, tested individually in a soundproof room, were asked to repeat the sequence of words in each utterance. Finally, each participant reported her preferred environmental condition for studying Results and Conclusions: The number of rehearsed words was higher in the silent condition, and overall errors were significantly higher in the noisy condition.

Omissions predominated in longer utterances. Positive correlation emerged between preference for studying in noisy environments and rehearsals in noise. The outcomes suggest that background babble noise interferes with the accomplishment of working memory rehearsal tasks.

Ben- Itzhak, D. 1,2 & Greenstein, T.1,2, (20/07/10). Mothers' Preferences for Educational Settings in Early Intervention Centers for Infants and Toddlers with Hearing Loss: Child and Family Characteristics. The 21st International Congress on the Education of the Deaf (ICED), Vancouver, BC Canada, poster presentation.

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MICHA Society for Deaf Children, Tel Aviv and Central Region Communication Sciences and Disorders, Health Professions, Ono Academic College, Kiryat Ono, Israel 2

Introduction: Controversy exists among parents and professionals regarding optimal educational settings for children with hearing loss, from mainstreaming to special daycare interventions. Per new Israeli welfare legislation, children with mild to profound permanent hearing loss may attend special government-funded daycare programs from age 6 months. These programs support families and children by operating six days weekly but exclude co-enrollment with hearing peers. The current study investigated whether demographic and hearing-related characteristics of families who preferred special daycare centers differed from those preferring more mainstreamed educational settings.

Method: Participants were 37 mothers of infants/toddlers with hearing loss (aged 428 months) enrolled in MICHA Deaf Society early intervention. Mean severity of children's hearing loss was 95.3dB unaided and 56.5dB aided (H.A. or C.I.). Three mothers, 4 fathers, and 7 siblings also had hearing loss. Mean years of schooling was 14.5 for mothers, 14.2 for fathers. A social worker interviewed mothers using a structured questionnaire. Setting preference was analyzed using χ2 analysis in light of demographic familial characteristics and child's hearing level.

Results: Of the 51% of mothers who preferred to register their children in special daycare programs, 63.3% resided in cities, 71.4% had nonacademic education and 78% of those having additional child with hearing loss. Their children's characteristics were: 20% firstborn, 63.6% attained poorer aided hearing levels from hearing devices, and 37.5% had prior experience in nursery school programs. Of the 49% of mothers who refused special daycare settings, 61% had academic education, 77.8% preferred mainstreaming, and 22.2% rejected programs due to location.

Conclusions: Mothers' preferences were divided almost equally between mainstreaming and special daycare. Child's aided hearing level was a prominent motive for decision making, along with several other demographic characteristics.

Findings suggested that professionals should offer parents more information to help them understand all options and implications, fostering better choices.