Kristin Ortiz is a second-grade teacher at Dora L. Small Elementary School in South Portland, Maine. When she first starting using Lightspeed’s Topcat instructional audio system, she thought it was just a way to help project her voice so that students could hear clearly throughout the classroom. She quickly found it was a way to better connect with students, something that is crucial to learning.

When Andrew Wallace first tried Lightspeed’s instructional audio system at an industry conference, he didn’t think his voice sounded much different. Those around him, however, did.

“I noticed when I was speaking that people were really more in-tune with what I was saying,” said Wallace, who is the director of technology for South Portland School Department

Fourth grade special education teacher Jaimee Rothenberg says the Lightspeed classroom instructional audio system was an important tool before the COVID-19 pandemic, helping students with auditory issues who may have otherwise needed preferential seating, and helping all students hear lessons more clearly.