Previous Projects

First Voice member and affiliated centres collect listening and spoken language outcome data from children enrolled in its early intervention programs on an annual basis.

This data is consolidated into one of the largest collections of data on deaf and hearing-impaired children enrolled in early intervention services in the world. First Voice analyses and releases a report on its member centres’ collective outcome data on an annual basis.

This data allows First Voice members to track and measure the listening and spoken language outcomes of children receiving early intervention services and continue to review and improve their programs and services.

First Voice conducted a three-year research project (2011-2014), known as Sound Connections, across its six member and affiliated centres to investigate the listening, spoken language and social inclusion outcomes of children with hearing loss who receive listening and spoken language early intervention.

The project comprised three phases: a literature review to define and measure social inclusion, in particular in children with disabilities; the creation of a national database to track the longitudinal speech and language outcomes and rate of progress of children aged 6 months to 7 years; and an online parent questionnaire seeking information on social inclusion. Information collected was benchmarked against existing national datasets of typical hearing children.

The project was made possible by a Telstra Foundation Social Innovation Grant.