One of the most critical aspects of international teamwork activity is communications, most of which are in English, despite the fact that most of the team members in the world are non-native English speakers. Previous research has demonstrated that apparent spatial separation of communications can lead to substantial improvements in speech intelligibility and reductions in communications workload (Bolia & Nelson, 2003). This study investigated the benefits of sound spatialization on non-native English speakers, showing a significant improvement in recognition of the correct responses when speech was provided spatially. This result confirms and extends previous research on the usefulness of spatial audio technology in order to enhance speech intelligibility in multitalker communications environments.
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