Cetacea Voice Amplification Overview
Audience: Staff
Purpose: The purpose of this article is to provide staff with a clear understanding of the Cetacea voice amplification system and its functionality.
Summary: The wireless pendant microphone provides discreet voice amplification, ensuring that the speaker’s voice is clearly heard throughout the classroom. Voice amplification serves as an effective strategy to minimize these barriers and support equitable access to learning.
Microphone Guide
The wireless pendant microphone subtly amplifies everything said by the wearer.
There is a substantial amount of research that shows that a high proportion of children suffer from mild hearing loss.
Combined with the difficulty among young children and English language learners in terms of filling in missed words and sounds using contextual clues, voice amplification can be a powerful way to reduce barriers to learning in our classrooms.
Each classroom is outfitted with the Cetacea Voice Amplification system.
This system has two elements:
Orbiter: A microphone.
Astronaut: A ceiling-mounted speaker.
See photos below:
The microphone is meant to be worn around the neck of the speaker.
A lanyard should already be attached to the microphone in your classroom for this purpose.
The microphone has a green light on the front.
This light is on when the microphone is on or when it is charging.
The microphone cannot be used while charging.
The back of the microphone has a button to turn the device on or off.
Press the button until the green light on front is lit to turn the mic off, and do the same until the light is off to turn the mic off.
The side of the microphone has two buttons for volume control (+ and -).
The microphone charges via a USB charger that is included in the system.
It looks a lot like a phone charger.
Simply plug the USB cable into the port on the bottom of the microphone to charge.
The microphone cannot be used while charging.
The ceiling-mounted speaker is connected to the wireless pendant microphone and to the projector.
Video or audio that is playing on your computer will come through the ceiling speaker if the computer is connected to the wireless display or to the HDMI connections on the wall plate beside the whiteboard. HDMI carries video and audio.
Microphone Best Practices
The volume on the microphone should be adjusted so that the amplification is subtle.
You shouldn’t be distracted by your own voice through the speaker while you are talking.
Keeping the volume too loud also often results in feedback issues.
The range of the pendant microphone should not reach very far beyond your classroom, but you should power off the pendant microphone before using the restroom, talking on phone, or talking about a student.
The district does not require the use of the Cetacea microphone but highly encourages it.
Individual schools in the district may have their own policies regarding use requirements.
Speaker Guide
The ceiling-mounted speaker is connected to the wireless pendant microphone and to the projector.
Video or audio that is playing on your computer will come through the ceiling speaker if the computer is connected to the wireless display or to the HDMI connections on the wall plate beside the whiteboard. HDMI carries video and audio.