Specifications

Learning Spaces Guidelines
Generic Guidelines: 14
a standard to pass onto architects and designers of our learning
spaces.
On a practical level sources of noise such as metal waste/recycling
bins and vending machines should not be located immediately
outside the entrances to learning spaces. For larger learning spaces
it is desirable to have entrances that comprise of two sets of
part-glazed doors with a sound suppressing lobby in between.
In teaching spaces such as lecture theatres the reverberation time
needs particular attention during the design stage (for new builds or
for major refurbishments):
Type of space
Performance standards for
reverberation time
T
mf
seconds
Classrooms ≤0.8 (≤1.0 for refurbishments)
Lecture Theatres ≤1.0 (≤1.0 for refurbishments)
ICT Rooms (PC Cluster rooms) ≤0.8 (≤1.0 for refurbishments)
Hearing impaired students can benefit greatly from clearer and more
intelligible audio if the learning space they are in has an assistive
listening system (ALS) installed. There are a variety of different types
of ALS:
Infrared (IR) systems – where the user is issued with a IR
receiver with its own earpieces and there has to be an
unobstructed line-of-sight between the IR transmitter and
the IR receiver worn by the user. Drawbacks include the
institution having to issue receivers, maintaining the hygiene
of the receivers and the fact that hear impaired users are
differentiated from their peers by having to wear an obvious
device.
Frequency Modulation (FM) systems – these use licenced
FM bands and require the user to wear a specific receiver
with its own earpieces. Drawbacks include the costs
of licencing, the institution having to issue receivers,
maintaining the hygiene of the receivers and the fact that
hear impaired users are differentiated from their peers by
having to wear an obvious device.
Induction Loop systems – these work by sending an input
signal to a loop driver to produce an electromagnetic field
from a number of wires placed around the space (usually
under the carpet). Those with hearing impairments then
move a switch on their hearing aid to the ‘T’ position
which makes use of a telecoil (present in 95% of hearing
aids) to pick up the output signal. Whilst these system are
more disruptive, and thus costly, to install they have many
advantages over the other two system types. These include
the fact that the hearing impaired person is using their own
hearing aid which is likely to have a frequency response
tailored to the specific nature of their impairment.
An important element regardless of which transmission method is
used is the quality and appropriateness of the input microphone.
TASK
Assistive
listening
systems
2.09