This project will investigate the feasibility of developing two innovative, research-based products designed to increase: physicians' and nurses' knowledge of behavioral and social consequences of hearing impairment and speech and language disorders (HISLD); their skills in interacting with HISLD patients; and clinicians' and researchers' access to the best HISLD data. This will ultimately help increase national attention to HISLD, promote integration of biomedical and behavioral perspectives in HISLD research and practice, and further Healthy People 2010 objectives. Product 1, Web-based, multimedia HISLD Teaching Modules for physicians and nurses, will increase users' knowledge and skills in communicating with and caring for HISLD patients. Module development will be informed by the latest distance learning and HISLD research, input from a researcher/clinician Expert Panel, and input from needs assessment research. CME/CE credits will be offered. Product 2, Archive of HISLD Data, will house state-of-the-art research datasets that address the prevalence and social, behavioral, and occupational antecedents and consequences of HISLD. An Expert Panel will refine study selection criteria and select studies. Sociometrics will acquire data and documentation and archive the datasets with value-added features. The resultant electronic data library will facilitate clinicians' and researchers' convenient access to and use of exemplary HISLD data.
