Classroom acoustics as a consideration for inclusive education in South Africa
South African Journal of Communication Disorders
Field | Value | |
Title | Classroom acoustics as a consideration for inclusive education in South Africa | |
Creator | van Reenen, Coralie Karusseit, Catherine | |
Description | Background: It can hardly be disputed that a school environment should be conducive or, at the very least, not prohibitive to effective learning. The provision of fair, equal and barrier-free access to education is referred to as inclusive education. South Africa supports a policy of inclusive schooling, striving to accommodate all children, including those with disabilities, in mainstream schools. This article sets out to prove that noise control in classrooms is a relevant, yet neglected, aspect of inclusive classroom design in South Africa and requires specific attention.Objectives: The objectives of this study are to: (1) establish the impact that noise has on learners with sensory, language or learning impairments; (2) establish the preferred listening conditions for these learners by examining prior research and guidelines available in other countries; and (3) outline the current South African regulations pertaining to classroom acoustics and assess them against the preferred listening environment.Method: This research was conducted as a systematic review with reference to the South African context. Local and international research and guidelines were used as references, providing an overview and evaluation of data concerning noise and learning.Results: Noise is disadvantageous for learners, particularly those with sensory, language or learning impairments. Research and international guidelines show that the ideal ambient level is 30 dBA – 35 dBA, allowing the achievement of an ideal signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of +15 dB, and the ideal reverberation time is 0.4 s – 0.6 s. Various South African regulations discussed are inconsistent regarding ambient noise level (ranging from 35 dBA – 50 dBA) and say little about reverberation time for classrooms.Conclusion: South African regulations regarding classroom acoustics require revision to ensure inclusion of all learners with disabilities. The current status does not enforce barrier-free environments in mainstream schools for children with sensory, language or learning impairments. | |
Publisher | AOSIS | |
Date | 2017-09-08 | |
Identifier | 10.4102/sajcd.v64i1.550 | |
Source | South African Journal of Communication Disorders; Vol 64, No 1 (2017); 10 pages 2225-4765 0379-8046 | |
Language | eng | |
Relation |
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:
https://sajcd.org.za/index.php/sajcd/article/view/550/745
https://sajcd.org.za/index.php/sajcd/article/view/550/744
https://sajcd.org.za/index.php/sajcd/article/view/550/746
https://sajcd.org.za/index.php/sajcd/article/view/550/743
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