Efforts to bring attention to the issue of noise pollution in America's classrooms are beginning to make a difference. The committee hopes to agree to the proposed standards, Response to Petition for Rulemaking on Classroom Acoustics , at a meeting in June 2000. The proposed standards will be presented to the Access Board for approval before the end of 2000. The ADA prohibits architectural barriers, such as the physical obstacles stairs pose to a student in a wheelchair, he said. Noisy classrooms present similar architectural barriers to children with a hearing impairment.
Noisy classrooms impede learning for other children as well.
Noise also affects children who have middle ear infections, for whom English is a second language, or who have learning disabilities, speech impairment, or central auditory processing disorders. Standards for classroom acoustics will help all students, said Lubman. Studies show that young children are inefficient listeners who don't have the experience to fill in missing words or phrases. The long journey to improve classroom acoustics has perplexed its proponents. We're not even aware when we can't hear.