A look at the other 90 per cent: Investigating British Sign Language vocabulary knowledge in deaf children from different language learning backgrounds

In this study we present new data on deaf children's receptive and expressive vocabulary knowledge in British Sign Language (BSL) from a sample consisting of children with deaf parents, children with hearing parents, and children with additional needs. Their performance on three BSL vocabulary tasks was compared with (previously reported findings from) a sample of deaf fluent signers. We use these data to assess the effects of some key demographic/ child variables on deaf signing children's vocabulary and discuss findings in the relation to the meaning of 'normative' data and samples for this heterogeneous population. Findings show no effect of the presence of additional disabilities on participants' scores for any of the three tasks. As expected, chronological age is the most significant factor in performance on all vocabulary tasks while the number of deaf relatives only becomes statistically significant for the form recall task. This study contributes to the field of sign language assessment by seeking to identify key variables in heterogeneity and how these variables affect signed vocabulary acquisition with the long-term objective of informing intervention

Language and Communication in People Who are Deafblind

The development of language and communication in people who are deafblind requires child rearing, interaction, and teaching methods that match each individual’s cognitive development, level of functioning, and interest; that can be perceived on a sensory level; that provoke responses that match the individual’s linguistic and motoric level; and that also fit with the language and communication skills and resources of people around them. This chapter describes all these different aspects of language and communication in children who are congenitally deafblind (and who seldom acquire symbolic communication) as well as people with acquired deafblindness. It also gives an overview of the way access to communication and language can be accommodated, including assessment, augmented and alternative communication, and staff training