1 National Acoustic Laboratories, Australia

2 University of Queensland, Australia

3 University of Hong Kong, China

4 University of Northern Iowa, USA

This study investigated the effects of sound field FM amplification intervention on the communicative interactive of Aboriginal and Torries Strait Islander children. Field trials were conducted in two rural Queensland communities. The listening environments of the four classrooms were alternated between amplified and non-amplified conditions at two weekly intervals over an eight-week period. Structured observation was used to record the interactions. Comparison of data obtained during the first "ON" listening phase with the second "ON" listening phase revealed a significant increase in the number of interactions occurring between the teacher, child and peers. The results showed a significant increase in verbal communication over time, and a significant decrease in the use of "nonsense" communications. The children initiated significantly more communications in response to cues directed to the class as a whole, to the teacher cueing a peer, and to interactions occurring between peers. The findings indicated that the children played a more proactive role in classroom communication following exposure to sound field FM amplification.