21st CenturyClassroom Audio Communication

FEB 2015EXCLUSIVELY FOR LIGHTSPEED PARTNERS

Collaborationthroughout

Communication = Learning

Access for allAccess for all

Engagement for each

Effective learningEffective learning

But… communication barriers lead to missed learning opportunities

Young children spend 75% of their school day involved in listening activities

Research Services, 2007

Mild Hearing Loss can hold students back

30% of children grades K-3 didn’t pass a 15dB hearing test

70% with MHL will suffer academic deficiency by 6th grade

Source: MARRS Project 1979-1993

Hearing Range20Hz

Speech Range

100Hz 8,000Hz

60dBT Y P I C A L

B A C K G R O U N DN O I S E

Add typical classroom background noise

V O I C E S I G N A L S T R E N G T H

20,000Hz

INTELLIGIBILITY GAP

DOMINANT SOUNDS

4 0 d B

5 0 d B

6 0 d B

7 0 d B A

Hearing Range20Hz

Speech Range

100Hz 8,000Hz

60dBB A C K G R O U N D

N O I S E

Softer consonants drive intelligibility

20,000Hz

A E I O U

p h t

k s th

sc sh

~ 1 , 5 0 0 H zV O I C E S I G N A L S T R E N G T H

4 0 d B

5 0 d B

6 0 d B

7 0 d B

Younger listeners can’t fill in the blanks

Children need to receive 90-100% of information carried by the spoken word

Children need to receive 90-100% of information carried by the spoken word

Handbook of Acoustic Accessibility, 2012

There are other challenges

Small group instruction is difficult

How do I facilitate COLLABORATION?

C H A L L E N G E

Learning & behavior MANAGEMENT

C H A L L E N G E

What is going on? ASSESSMENT

C H A L L E N G E

What’s the cost?

Limited access isolates students

Disengaged students get bored

Collaboration turns into chaos

The unique flat-panel design delivers amazingly intelligible speech, distributed evenly across the room.

Flexible two-way communication system designed for differentiated instruction and other types of small group learning.

• Small group instruction• 2-way audio communication• Up to six student groups• Clarity to the whole group• Team-teaching• Exclusive technology*

New MirandaNet Research Report

Components

Redcat Access: The “Brains” of the Operation

• Provides the whole group instruction component• Considered the “base station” for all communication flow• MUST have Redcat Access for all other devices to work

Redcat Access (Access version of Redcat)

Key advantages:• Increased transmission range• Coverage in larger, open areas• No interference with IR interactive

projectors or other classroom tech• No installation required

Flexmike Teacher Microphone• Pendant style microphone – smaller and lighter than

infrared Redmike• Integrated earbud and lanyard for student group

monitoring• Team-teaching capability• Microphone volume control standard• Audio input to connect and direct wireless audio• Utilizes Lightspeed AAA NiMH rechargeable battery pack

Flexcat student group pods• Battery powered two-way audio pods

• Includes integrated speaker and microphone• NiMH rechargeable battery pack (10+ hours)

• Up to 6 pods can be used with a system• Speaker volume control on bottom• Teacher controls microphone (monitoring)

volume level with remote• Call button allows students to request

assistance• Beep in teacher’s ear, pod # blinks on remote

Flexcat teacher remote• Simple handheld teacher remote control• Whole group instruction

• Amplified through Redcat Access = center button

• Pod selection (1-6)• Microphone mute/unmute

• Silent monitoring (muted) • Two-way conversations with groups (unmuted)

• Earpiece volume control (monitoring)• Rechargeable battery• Second teacher uses second remote

Charging Station• Organizes and charges all components• Charging slots for:

• 4 pods; 2 Flexmikes; 2 remotes

• Pods 5-6 charge via cable from the side of charging station

• Storage slots for earbuds• Components require daily overnight

charging• Red light = charging• Green light = charging complete

Flexcat Operation

Flexcat Operation (Cont’d)

Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting