Arkansas Children’s Hospital Educational Audiology/Speech Pathology Resources for Schools (EARS)

EARS Program @ Arkansas Children’s Hospital

Who We Are

The EARS (Educational Audiology/Speech Pathology Resources for Schools) program is an outreach project of the Audiology/Speech Pathology Department at Arkansas Children's Hospital.  The EARS program provides contract, educational audiology services and specialized speech-language pathology consultation for school districts and early childhood programs around the state to assist in identifying children with hearing loss and addressing the needs of students who have hearing loss or other auditory disorders.

What We Do

The services of the EARS team can be contracted on a regular basis by a school district/early childhood program or called in on an “as needed” basis.  Our program can provide any of these services:

Audiological Services

  •  Assist with or manage hearing screening programs
  •  Perform hearing screenings/evaluations on difficult to test students (Child Find)
  •  Provide educationally relevant audiological evaluations
  •  Perform hearing aid evaluations, electroacoustic analysis, monitoring of classroom performance with amplification, and training personnel on performing daily listening checks
  •  Select, evaluate and fit a variety of assistive listening devices and soundfield systems
  •  Make appropriate referrals for medical care or educational assessment
  •  Discuss the effects of hearing loss on the understanding of language and speech, the possible psychosocial impact of hearing loss, and make recommendations based on potential educational needs
  •  Explain and interpret audiologic findings and their impact on the educational performance of the student and provide in depth training for school personnel
  •  Assist in writing appropriate IEP goals and objectives and designate appropriate educational placement, services and equipment
  •  Develop a conservation program for schools that can inform students of the effects of noise exposure (as defined in IDEA, 2004)
  •  Provide classroom acoustics education and consultation  
  •  Provide information and guidance for classroom management of students diagnosed with auditory processing disorders
  •  Assist in the maintenance of evaluation/screening records

Speech-Language Pathology Services

  •  Provide comprehensive speech-language and specialized auditory skill assessments for children/students who are hard of hearing or deaf   (interpretation and written report included)
  •  Assist in goal writing for IEP and treatment/lesson plans for students who are d/hh and attend conferences as needed
  •  Demonstrate/model specific techniques in therapy sessions for students who are d/hh
  •  Demonstrate inclusion of auditory and language skills into the classroom/curriculum
  •  Provide observations of potential educational placements to assist school personnel regarding placement for students who are d/hh

Services We Provide

General Technical Assistance 

These services will be available to ALL districts and educational cooperatives (public) in the state of Arkansas (supported, in part, by ADE grant).

Examples of services:

  •  Brief email and/or phone consultations available
  •  EARS will exhibit and present at conferences (re: our services) as requested and as is appropriate
  •  Website and newsletter resources
  •  Call the expert program

Targeted Technical Assistance 

One time, visit or professional development training that requires a fee-based contract between the coop or district.
 
Examples of services:
  •  Professional development session
  •  Online conference call specific to a student
  •  One time visit to district for specific student

Intensive Technical Assistance 

Services that are provided on a consistent, on going basis (e.g. 1x month or 1x a week) that requires a fee-based contract between district and EARS.  Intensive services are two-way (district identifies needs as well as audiologist identifying needs of the district).
Examples of services:
  •  Hearing screenings with children who cannot participate in a traditional pure tone screening
  •  Hearing evaluations
  •  Technology & classroom assistance for students who are deaf/hard of hearing
  •  Specialized speech/language/auditory skill assessment
  •  Selection and fitting of FM/DM technology

For more information, please contact:

Rachel Sievers, Au.D., CCC-A
Audiology Supervisor
Phone: 501-680-2718