May 21, 2007
The Widex Pediatric Hearing Assistance Program (widexusa.com) is offering pediatric dispensing clinicians who serve children who are candidates for frequency transposition with hearing aids up to $76,600 in hearing aids and research grant funding to be shared by two facilities. The open application period extends through June 30, 2007.
Following are the goals of the Pediatric Hearing Assistance Program–Audibility Extender™ Research Initiative:
• Validation of the efficacy of an innovative application of frequency lowering, the Widex Audibility Extender™ in the Inteo hearing aid;
• Provide permanent hearing aids to children who participate in this study who receive benefit from the Audibility Extender feature at no charge to the family;
• Provide $10,000.00 subsidy to participating facilities for preparation of manuscript of research findings and ultimate publication.
Eligibility requirements:
• Applicants must demonstrate ability to assist in protocol development, including selection of auditory training materials, implementation of individualized auditory training programs, and selection of assessment materials
• Willingness to collaborate with Widex in establishing protocols that will achieve the above stated goals
• Facility must be qualified to provide weekly individualized auditory training to children participating in this study (or have pre-arranged the support of a collaborating clinician who is qualified to provide auditory training) and to prepare comprehensive progress reports to Widex
• Willingness to follow the Widex recommended fitting guidelines for the Inteo Audibility Extender™
• Facility must have pre-selected database of 15-20 eligible research participants, age 7-12 years of age with speech, language, and cognitive ability within 1 year of chronological
age and approximating the following audiological criteria:
1) no worse than a moderate LF SNHL
2) hearing thresholds no worse than 50-70 dBHL at 2000 Hz
3) hearing thresholds >70 dBHL at 4000-8000 Hz
• Applicants must be prepared to begin data collection in September 2007 and complete data collection by March 2008
• Familiarity with facility IRB guidelines and timeline of IRB review
• Applicants must demonstrate ability to prepare manuscript for publication. Manuscript must be ready for publication before the end of December 2008
Application details:
Application is open-ended. However, it must include at a minimum:
• Name and curricula vitae of applicants as well as clinicians designated to administer auditory training
• Name and full description of facility and population served
• Description of previous experience fitting hearing aids utilizing frequency-lowering techniques
• Audiograms of potential participants for this study
• Description of proposed method of completing data collection within the designated time-line and proposed method of reporting data and provision of comprehensive progress reports to Widex in a timely manner
Electronic applications only; forward applications to: [email protected]. Please include the words “AE Research Initiative Application” in the subject heading.
• All applicants will receive an acknowledgement of receipt of application
Application Due Date:
• Applications will be accepted until midnight June 30, 2007
Selection Notice:
• Applicants will be interviewed based on application details
• Selected facilities will be notified by telephone or email regarding acceptance by July 30, 2007.
