This article is a part of the January/February 2026, Volume 38, Number 1, Audiology Today issue.
In 2025, the American Academy of Audiology awarded one $20,000 grant in the Research Grants in Hearing and Balance program. This program is funded by the American Academy of Audiology Foundation (AAAF) and managed by the Academy’s Research Initiatives Task Force. The Academy and the AAAF jointly advance the grant program to promote basic and applied research in hearing and balance. The recipient of the 2025 Investigator Research Grant is Akshay Maggu, PhD, of the University of Connecticut, for his study entitled “Development of a Remote Screening Tool for Auditory Processing Disorders (APDs) in School-Aged Children.”
APD is a prevalent condition affecting 2.5–6.2 percent of school-aged children, impairing their ability to process auditory information in complex listening environments such as noisy classrooms or playgrounds. This disorder significantly hinders academic performance, impacting long-term future employment outcomes. Additionally, without early intervention, the psychosocial well-being of the child is compromised. Current screening methods for APD require specialized equipment and professional expertise, creating accessibility barriers, especially for rural underserved populations.
To address this gap, the study seeks to establish the Portable Automated Rapid Testing (PART) battery as an efficient, remote screening tool for APD. PART has demonstrated validity with broad applicability across diverse populations and ease of administration for adults. Normative data for PART are only available for adults, so there is no established guideline for determining when to refer school-based children for diagnostic APD testing. The study has two specific aims: (1) to establish normative data for the PART battery among 8–13-year-olds by assessing key auditory processing abilities, including temporal fine structure, spectrotemporal sensitivity, and speech-in-noise performance; and (2) to determine optimal cut-off criteria for the PART battery to guide referrals for diagnostic APD testing. By investigating these aims, Dr. Maggu will establish normative data for the PART subtests, evaluate their sensitivity and specificity, and identify combinations that optimize diagnostic accuracy.
Dr. Maggu’s study will pave the way toward establishing a practical and accessible screening tool for APD in school-aged children. The remote administration of the tool using a tablet and headphones in a location of comfort to the child may reduce barriers associated with traditional APD screening. By facilitating early detection, this research has the potential to significantly improve the identification, management, and long-term outcomes for children with APD, particularly in regions where timely access to specialized services is otherwise unavailable.
