title: Improving Art Museum Accessibility for Adults With Acquired Hearing Loss.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Adults with hearing loss rated the accessibility of guided or docent-led art museum tours with and without hearing assistive technology (HAT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Nineteen individuals (average age 64 years, range 35-87 years) with acquired hearing loss participated. All participants had a bilateral hearing loss (mild to profound) using hearing aids (n = 12), cochlear implants (n = 5), or no technology (n = 2). Two docents who were previously trained to modify their presentations and use clear speech led the tours. Participants experienced a tour with and without the museum's HAT and rated its effectiveness using a rating scale. The study used a pre-post test design.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The docent-led tours with HAT were rated significantly higher (p = .003) than the tours without HAT. Participants made several suggestions on improving museum accessibility for individuals with hearing loss.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of HAT during a museum tour was beneficial for individuals with hearing loss. Training docents to modify their presentations, use clear speech, and HAT improved the accessibility of docent-led tours for individuals with hearing loss.
authors.affiliation: Communication Sciences & Disorders Department, Worcester State University, MA.
authors.forename: Susanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.affiliation: Communication Sciences & Disorders Department, Worcester State University, MA.
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Larrivee
authors.affiliation: Communication Sciences & Disorders Department, Worcester State University, MA.
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Veneziano-Korzec
authors.affiliation: Worcester Art Museum, MA.
authors.forename: Katrina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Stacy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019929:Cochlear Implantation; D005260:Female; D006310:Hearing Aids; D006312:Hearing Loss, Bilateral / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009144:Museums; D012656:Self-Help Devices; D013067:Speech Perception