Audiology in an ecological perspective--development of a conceptual framework.

The conceptual framework for describing an audiological communication handicap and its underlying processes is built in analogy to a biological, ecological system and uses the following primary concepts: interaction, internal milieu, preferendum (preferred communication features) and optimal resource utilization. From these primary concepts secondary concepts and processes are formulated: signal, message/dialogue and behavior are three levels of interaction; adjustment and release of mental resources are specifications for preferendum (influenced by contextual and social conditions); specificity and facilitation underlie optimal resource utilization. The internal environment contains afferent, central and efferent speech and language processing, cognitive and emotional processes. The main components of audiology and rehabilitation (impairment, disability, handicap) are deduced from these concepts and processes. Examples of studies based on this conceptual framework are presented briefly. These include an environmental test chamber where realistic acoustic environments and communication situations can be directly studied, and a rehabilitation programme based on tutorial education for structured interaction at the behaviour level between hearing-impaired and normal-hearing persons. A vibratory-based event localization system for deaf-blind is described which improves specificity and thereby mental resource utilization.