Audio Solutions for Classrooms

Design, and Install of AV Control Solutions for Office, Boardroom, or Residential applications.

---

The Integration of voice reinforcement in the classroom is recommended by
the DfES as a simple and highly effective method of improving the attention
and academic results of pupils and students.

'Can they hear you at the back?'

Benefits for Pupils

The integration of Sound Field Voice Reinforcement into the classroom provides a diverse range of benefits for pupils, teachers, management and specifiers alike.

Though much emphasis is placed upon the benefits of hard of hearing students, some well-documented studies confirm the additional academic improvements for all pupils in the classroom.

 

All children benefit from the improved speech
clarity of a Sound Field System.

Academic improvements are noted in:

• Task behaviour
• Attentiveness
• Understanding of instructions
• Less repetition required
• Better attendance
• Improved measures of verbal recognition
• Reduced voice strain

During early learning years, children lack the language experience to dicipher messages amongst interference. Clear, evenly distributed voice reproduction throughout the classroom assists young children to hear and understand more of what is said.

Similarly, those for whom English is a second language benefit from improved understanding of the teachers' voice.

In early learning years, up to 35% of children may have some form of temporary hearing deficiency due to illness, disease or allergies. These children wil significantly benefit from Sound Field in the classroom.

 

Benefits for Teachers

Although it cannot be denied that many of the major benefits of Sound Field are to the pupils (whether hard of hearing or not), there are a number of significant factors which will benefit the teacher and school/college management team:

Lively, interactive (or just plain noisy!) classes require the teacher to frequently raise their voice to be heard. When designed and set-up effectively, a Sound Field System can actually reduce the operational noise level as all children will hear the teacher's voice more clearly, often improving discipline.

Studies suggest that up to 20% of teachers experience vocal problems during an academic year. By negating the need to raise the voice, vocal strain is much less likely, reducing time lost to illness or stress.

Improved measures of understanding from pupils means less repetition required, saving on class time.

By ensuring clear voice reproduction to hard of hearing and non-hard of hearing pupils, teachers can provide more effective and less discriminatory inclusion of SEN students into the mainstream class.

i-ceilings Sound Field Systems can also be specified to include remote Audio Visual inputs, allowing plugging-in of additional laptops, CD/MP3 players, DVD etc. for high quality distributed, amplified sound throughout the classroom. (SEE OUTREACH PLATES INFORMATION)

Our Sound Field product range offers a wide range of permanent installation systems to meet the acoustic requirements of all subject and classroom types. Furthermore, we also offer a range of portable solutions for use in assembly/sports hall areas, for use by part-time SEN teachers and even for use outdoors.

Utilising our preferred infrared (IR) Sound Field System, there is a further logistical advantage to teachers over radio frequency (RF) Microphone systems. As IR systems are not frequency specific, the teachercan move from room to room without having to alter the microphone settings.

Reduced loudspeaker theft of vandalism:
i-ceilings Sound Panels are developed by suspended ceiling market leaders 'Armstrong' to exactly match their range of acoustic ceiling tiles. As the
i-ceilings loudspeaker is virtually impossible to identify by eye, any possibility of their theft or damage in public access or vulnerable areas is greatly reduced.

Benefits to hearing impaired students

With a positive emphasis placed on inclusion in the classroom of SEN pupils (Special Educational Needs) and the legal requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA), ensuring the ability for hearing impaired students to join a mainstream classroom has become an issue of great importance throughout the UK education sector.The integration of Sound Field Voice Reinforcement Systems in the classroom, therefore, is becoming more and more popular in mainstream schools, colleges and universities.

By amplifying the teacher's voice to an intelligible and evenly distributed level throughout the whole of the classroom, pupils with minor hearing impairments can listen on an 'even playing field' with the rest of the mainstream class.

An Induction Loop System can also be easily connected to our range of Sound Field Systems. An Induction Loop allows hearing aid users to receive voice and AV audio signals and transmit them to the hearing aid Telecoil when set in the 'T' position. Click here for full details of our Induction Loop range.

In early learning years, up to 35% of children may have some form of temporary hearing deficency due to illness, disease or allergies. These children will also significantly benefit from Sound Field in the classroom.

Children with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) are also reported to benefit from Sound Field. With an impaired ability to hold their attention or focus on specific activities and subjects, ensuring a clearer and more easily understood message from the teacher can provide significant positive results.

Many children with Down Syndrome have fluctuating conductive hearing losses further reducing their speech and language. (Studies by the University of Canterbury, NZ) have proved that children with Down Syndrome perceive significantly more speech in all conditions where a Sound Field system is used.

---

Infra-Red Soundfield System Packs

FOR USE IN ROOMS FEATURING SUSPENDED CEILINGS AND IDEAL IN ADJACENT / MULTI-ROOM APPLICATIONS • i-ceilings Sound Panel Loudspeakers • APA-20 Sound Panel Amplifier • Infrared Transmitter and Receiver • Remote AV Input Plate
Our flagship ‘i-ceilings / Infrared’ Sound Field System is arguably the most technically advanced and acoustically effective Sound Field system there is. This system has been developed to provide the most effective and beneficial solution for the teacher, student, management - even the architect and installer!

MAIN SYSTEM INCLUDES:
• i-ceilings Powered Sound Panel Loudspeakers
(only requires either 1 or 2, dependent on room size)
• Infrared Transmitter and Receiver
• Remote AV Input Plate

PACK OPTIONS :
• SOUNDFIELD PACK A
• SOUNDFIELD PACK B
• SOUNDFIELD PACK C

OPTIONS:
• Each system is supplied with a choice of handheld microphone, headset, lapel or collar.

A unique range of additional wall-mounting Remote Input Plates can be added to each Sound Field System for integration of further AV signals (such as CD player, video, DVD, PC, laptop, MP3 or wired microphones)

The system features our unique i-ceilings Sound Panel loudspeakers which fit into the suspended ceiling in exactly the same manner as a standard passive ceiling tile. These revolutionary Sound Panel loudspeakers provide unparalleled levels of even sound coverage, ensuring all students hear an equal volume level of the teacher’s voice. Furthermore,
i-ceilings panels are virtually unidentifiable in the ceiling ensuring aesthetic consistency and greatly reducing any problems of loudspeaker theft or vandalism.
FOR GREATER DETAILS ON THE BENEFITS OF I-CEILINGS, CLICK HERE.

This system also benefits from the use of an ‘Infrared’ microphone system. Most Sound Field systems use ‘RF’ (Radio Frequency) wireless microphones, which have limitations to the number of frequency channels available and high cost implications for increased numbers of channels. Our ‘Infrared’ wireless microphone solution negates the difficulties of number of frequency channels and high cost implications. Infrared uses light (just like your TV remote control) rather than RF to transmit the microphone signal. The infrared signal cannot ‘overflow’ into adjoining classrooms as light will not transmit through walls. This allows the same simple and highly cost effective system to be used in any number of adjacent rooms without the need for multiple frequencies.

FOR USE IN CLASSROOMS WITH PLASTERBOARD ORSOLID CEILINGS
AND IDEAL IN ADJACENT / MULTI-ROOM APPLICATIONS.

Following the enormous success of our i-ceilings based Soundfield
systems in the education sector, CIE-Group’s ‘Soundfield PACK G’ Classroom Voice Reinforcement System has been added to our market-leading Soundfield range.

Though much of the success of our current systems has been based on our unique i-ceilings Sound Panel Loudspeakers, there is now an ever increasing number of systems being installed into classrooms without suspended ceilings.

Therefore, as part of our newly-extended Soundfield range, we have now developed our new ‘PACK G’ featuring the new CS4500 ceiling surface-mount i-ceilings Soundpanel and our specially developed IRX Wallmount Integrated Amplifier/Infrared Receiver.

Designed to be completely safe and child-friendly, the 20W IRX features infrared wireless microphone technology, line and mic inputs and level/tone control (user controllable), whilst remaining extremely tamper-proof against ‘wandering hands’!

The IRX System also allows for integration of induction loop and personal hearing assistance systems, to further enhance voice coverage for all levels of hearing in the classroom.

MAIN SYSTEM INCLUDES:
• IRX Wallmount Amplifier/IR Receiver
• IWM-302 Infrared Belt Pack Transmitter & Microphone
• 1 x CS4500 surface-mount i-ceilings sound panel

FEATURES:
• Unobtrusive but effective voice reinforcement in the classroom
• Improved effectiveness of the teaching environment
• Surface-mount solution for plasterboard/solid ceiling classrooms
• Strong, durable and extremely child-safe amplifier/IR unit
• Integrated 20W amplifier and IR receiver
• Newly developed ceiling surface-mount i-ceilings sound panel
• Easily integrated with other classroom/teaching technologies
such as induction loops, personal FM hearing assistance systems,
interactive whiteboards, DVD, MP3, etc...

INFRARED BELTPACK TRANSMITTER/MICROPHONE:
*The Soundfield PACK G features the IWM-302 Beltpack & IT-10+
Infrared Tieclip Microphone as standard.
A choice of headset, collar-worn and handheld microphone options
are also available.

Each system is supplied with a choice of handheld microphone, headset, lapel or collar mics.

IRX AMPLIFIER/IR RECEIVER:
The IRX’s in-built amplifier features two inputs; one is at line level allowing the use of remote Outreach input plates such as the APA/APL, the other input controls the level of the internal infrared microphone receiver. An 18v DC supply is available from the amplifier to drive the Outreach plates. Both inputs have their own level control.

The amplifier also includes low impedance loudspeaker output (minimum impedance 4ohms) and a separate line level output and 18v DC supply for use with optional APA/LLO output plate.

The IRX is fitted with high and low tone controls to allow adjustment of the frequency response of the speakers. Frequencies at which the controls operate have been chosen to allow speech clarity to be optimised to the
acoustic environment.

All signal connections to the unit are accessible only when the front cover is removed and are of the removable screw terminal type allowing for quick and easy connection.

---

 

---

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Postal Address:
CDI Audio Visual Ltd 
1 Lambs Close, Overton 
Basingstoke, Hampshire 
RG25 3DX,   UK