Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!yale!bunker!wtm From: rudy@cbnewsj.ATT.COM (avram r vener) Newsgroups: misc.handicap Subject: Re: SOUND OF SILENCE Message-ID: <10706@bunker.UUCP> Date: 19 Mar 90 03:33:53 GMT References: <10624@bunker.UUCP> Sender: wtm@bunker.UUCP Reply-To: rudy@cbnewsj.ATT.COM (avram r vener) Distribution: misc Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories Lines: 16 Approved: wtm@bunker.UUCP Index Number: 7208 I have been reading about this so called over the phone hearing test. This sort of thing is a HIGHLY questionable practice. And I am being nice about it. Hearing tests are of necessity, performed in highly controlled acoustical environments. The audiologist must be able to know and control volume levels and frequencies to within a fairly small tolerance. This simply canot be done over a phone. A poor connection will cause unknown degrees of attenuation. The high frequency filters (at 3 KHz I beleive) negate any possible testing above their cutoff limits. Transient noise on the line would cause further problems in tone detection. The whole concept of testing over a phone line is just so much bull pookey. I am no longer being nice about it. Rudy Vener uucp: att!mtqua!rudy