Research
The Renwick Centre conducts research in areas relating to the education of children with sensory disabilities.
Current Research Projects
Paediatric hearing assessment with tele-audiology
An investigation in rural and remote populations
HEARing Cooperative Research Centre Project R4.5.2.
Studies have shown that up to 60% of indigenous children under 12 yrs have some form of middle ear disorder. As a result significant numbers have hearing loss (NSW DoH 2008). Over recent years a number of agencies have developed strategies for the screening and diagnosis of hearing loss amongst indigenous children, many of whom live outside urban centres (NSW DoH 2008). One factor limiting the diagnostic process has been delays between screening and full diagnostic audiology, due to a lack of available diagnostic audiology in the local community. Screening assessments are frequently carried out in the local community in non-sound treated conditions, to identify those children in need of further attention. However, travel to a regional centre is frequently required to access appropriate test conditions and/or skilled professionals for accurate diagnostic hearing assessment. The need to spend time and money travelling to services imposes a delay in full assessment and subsequent intervention.
With the improvement of technology, Telemedicine has emerged as a means to provide improved access for children in remote locations. In this context, "Tele-audiology" refers to the use of telecommunications and information technologies to assist with the provision of audiological services at a distance. The present study seeks to confirm that "remote" audiometry is a viable technique for accurately assessing air and bone conduction hearing thresholds for school age children in non-sound treated conditions. The study will assess children with normal hearing as well as children with sensorineural and conductive hearing loss. If successful, this study will demonstrate that remote technology can be used to assess children's hearing as accurately as conventional face to face assessment, and that this can be achieved in non-sound treated conditions.
Infant Monitor of vocal Production (IMP)
"Early and effective assessment of children's developmental progress is imperative in order to ensure that all of the interventions being pursued are actually achieving the desired and expected outcomes. The benefits of earlier intervention may be squandered if progress is assumed and alternative interventions are not considered until lack of progress is identified at a much later time through standardized assessments of linguistic development.
Dr Cantle Moore's work in developing this prototype of the Infant Monitor of vocal Production (IMP) represents an important contribution to the field of early intervention for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. The development phase now permits the distribution of this working prototype and training package for the use of the instrument. By engaging in the training and agreeing to become a user of the prototype you will be contributing to the ongoing development of the instrument, as well as sharing in the benefits of using this new approach to monitoring the early vocal productions of your own clients."
- Professor Greg Leigh, PhD, FACE
Chair, Australasian Newborn Hearing Screening Committee
Online training material is available to interested parties. You may register on http://www.ridbcrenwickcentre.com/imp/
.
The Australian Childhood Vision Impairment Register (ACVIR)
The Australian Childhood Vision Impairment Register is sponsored by the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children, in partnership with Guide Dogs, Vision Australia, other low vision service providers, children with vision impairment and their families. The Register is the first of its kind in Australia, and is capturing uniquely Australian data which will be used to improve services for children with vision impairment. The data is also available to researchers who work in the area of eye disease and disorders of vision.
Families are warmly invited to register their children. Our age range is from 0-18 years, with any eye condition that causes vision impairment. Families can access our website at: http://www.ridbc.org.au/renwick/research/ozviskids.asp. The criteria for being included on the Register are available on the website, and if you are unsure, you can email the Register staff, who will help out. The latest Register newsletter is also available. We are currently developing a website which will give families and the public access to useful resources on vision impairment. The website will also give our registered families access to online parent and kids forums, where people can meet, chat, share ideas and support one another.
We hope you and your child will consider joining the Australian Childhood Vision Impairment Register.
Sue Silveira
Research Fellow
RIDBC Renwick Centre
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Contact Us
Location:
361-365 North Rocks Road, North Rocks, Australia
Mail:
Private Bag 29, Parramatta NSW 2124 Australia
Postgraduate Study and General Enquiries:
- E-mail: renwickenq@ridbc.org.au
- Phone / TTY: (02) 9872 0303
- Fax: (02) 9873 1614
Continuing Professional Education:
- E-mail: mailcpe@ridbc.org.au
- Phone: (02) 9872 0302
- Fax: (02) 9872 0824
Accommodation Officer:
Information about King House covers bookings, costs, forms and the facilities available for those requiring accommodation.
- E-mail: king.house@ridbc.org.au
- Phone (Mon, Tue, Wed): (02) 9872 0373
- Phone (Thu, Fri): (02) 9872 0303
- Fax: (02) 9872 0824
Library:
The library's hours are 9 am - 5 pm daily. Extended hours to 8 pm on Wednesdays during semester.
These hours may be subject to change.
The Library is closed on weekends and public holidays.
- E-mail: renwick.library@ridbc.org.au
- Phone: (02) 9872 0285
- Fax: (02) 9872 0809
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