Investigation of the Speech Intelligibility of Classrooms Depending on the Sound Source Location

The present study aims to investigate the effects of speaker location on the speech intelligibility in a classroom. In order to this, acoustic measurements were undertaken in a classroom with three different sound source locations such as center of front wall (FC), both sides of front wall (FS) and the center of ceiling (CC). SPL, RT, $D_{50}$, RASTI were measured in the 9 measurement points with same sound power level of sound source and MLS was used as the sound source signal. Also, subjective listening tests were carried out using Korean language listening materials which were recorded in an anechoic chamber. The recorded syllables were replayed and recorded again in the classroom with same sound source at three different locations and listening tests were undertaken to 20 respondents who were asked to write the correct syllables which were recorded in the classroom. The results show that higher sound intelligibility ($D_{50}$ of $47\%$, RASTI of 0.56) was obtained when sound source was located at the FS. The results also show that high sound intelligibility was obtained at the area nearby walls.