Conference Grant for 2020 and 2021 Listening and Spoken Language Symposia for Sharing of Clinically and Educationally-Relevant Research - Project Summary/Abstract
The Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (AG Bell) requests support for two
symposia incorporating four keynote presentations in each symposium. These presentations will be oriented to
clinicians/researchers, educators, and other professionals. Presentations will be delivered during the annual
summer AG Bell Global Listening and Spoken Language Symposium and supported by a written proceedings
that will be provided via open access on AG Bell’s website. In the fall following each symposium, three one-
hour virtual sessions - two sessions oriented towards professionals (one in English; one in Spanish) and one
towards families - will be provided through the Zoom platform. All four presenters will participate in the
professional virtual session. One of the four keynote presenters (selected by the organizing committee) will
provide a scientific updates session that will be oriented to families and individuals who are deaf or hard of
hearing and that is branded and be will promoted as a “Family Link” to research and its applications.
Participants of each virtual session will have the opportunity to ask specific questions about the presented
research and participate in conversation with presenters and other participants.
Specific aims for the Research Forum and related activities include:
Aim 1) to provide clinicians/researchers with clinically and educationally-relevant research in oral (keynote
presentations) and written (electronic written proceedings) forms that is applicable to immediate and/or future
interventions with children and individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing and may lead to improved short and
long-term outcomes.
Aim 2) to allow clinicians/researchers, other professionals, parents/family members and individuals who may
not have been in attendance at the AG Bell Global Listening and Spoken Language Symposium the
opportunity to learn about current research and ask questions directly to the presenters through virtual
sessions and open access to the electronic written proceedings on the AG Bell website.
The two symposia will focus on the following research topics on hearing loss:
2020: Special Topics Research Involving Hearing and Auditory Devices, Baltimore, Maryland, July 9-11,
2020 - Scientists will provide findings on their research related to hearing and the interaction and effects of
auditory devices/hearing technology on hearing.
2021: The Effects of Hearing and Related Outcomes, Brisbane, Australia, July 25-27, 2021- Research will
be presented related to the impacts of age of identification of hearing loss, early intervention, language, and
learning and strategies that lead to better outcomes for children.
