Background noise and lip-reading ability

The main aim of this pilot experiment was to determine whether background noise affects the lip-reading ability of normally hearing people. Ten university students took part in a lip-reading test presented both in the quiet and with two types of competing noise. The first type of noise used was speech-shaped, continuous and with a steady intensity level. The second type was again continuous but with frequent and intermittent peaks of energy (classroom noise). It was found that the second type of noise had a significantly adverse effect on lipreading ability. Further experimentation with hearing-impaired subjects was suggested.