Latency and slope values of evoked responses in children in brain stem audiometry

This paper is a review of a study to compare latencies of early evoked responses in young children with those of adults

Deaf Children’s Science Content Learning in Direct Instruction versus Interpreted Instruction

This research study compared learning of 6-9th grade deaf students under two modes of educational delivery – interpreted vs. direct instruction using science lessons. Nineteen deaf students participated in the study in which they were taught six science lessons in American Sign Language. In one condition, the lessons were taught by a hearing teacher in English and were translated in ASL via a professional and certified interpreter. In the second condition, the lessons were taught to the students in ASL by a deaf teacher. All students saw three lessons delivered via an interpreter and three different lessons in direct ASL; the order of delivery of each presentation was counter balanced between the two groups of students. Following the instruction, each group was tested on the science lecture materials with six comprehension questions. Results indicated that deaf students who received direct instruction in ASL from the deaf teacher scored higher on content knowledge

Language and Reading Progress of Young Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children.

We examined the language and reading progress of 336 young DHH children in kindergarten, first and second grades. Trained assessors tested children's language, reading, and spoken and fingerspelled phonological awareness in the fall and spring of the school year. Children were divided into groups based on their auditory access and classroom communication: a spoken-only group (n = 101), a sign-only group (n = 131), and a bimodal group (n = 104). Overall, children showed delays in language and reading compared to norms established for hearing children. For language, vocabulary standard scores were higher than for English syntax. Although delayed in language, children made expected gains based on hearing norms from kindergarten to second grade. Reading scores declined from kindergarten to second grade. Spoken-only and bimodal children had similar word reading and reading comprehension abilities and higher scores than sign-only children. Spoken-only children had better spoken phonological awareness and nonword reading skills than the other two groups. The sign-only and bimodal groups made similar and significant gains in ASL syntax and fingerspelling phonological awareness

The acquisition of classifier predicates in American Sign Language

This project is a comparative investigation of the acquisition of predicate forms that comprise the heart of productive predicate morphology in ASL. These predicates can be organized into three distinct groups, CLASSes, SASSes or size-and-shape-specifiers, and HANDLEs. Basically, these classifier predicates are differentiated by (1) their handshape, (2) the meaning of path movement, and (3) the use of space. In HANDLE forms, the resulting form is an agentive transitive predicate. SASS predicates, in their most common form, are predicate adjectives. CLASS forms are intransitive verbs of motion and location. Each of these predicates has its own set of morphological rules and constraints. Previous researchers have looked at CLASSes, as termed in this model, and have found that they are mastered at a relatively late age. This prolonged developmental timetable has been attributed to their overall morphological complexity. However, most investigations have considered handshape production as evidence of acquisition. This project investigated the acquisition of classifier morphosyntax by examining the use of handshape, space and movement in HANDLE, CLASS and SASS predicates. In addition, the role of morphological complexity in production was examined. The subjects were 24 profoundly deaf children, ages 4;5-9;0 who had Deaf parents. Activities were created to elicit 72 predicates exemplifying HANDLE, CLASS, and SASS forms. Each type of predicate was elicited in morphologically simple and complex structures. The results indicated that children differentiated among these classifier predicates in their productions. Use of some morphemes could be predicted by considering the structure of the morphological paradigm or the morphosyntax of the predicate. For example, handshape production appeared to reflect predictions based on paradigm structures. Other results were best understood when the morphosyntax was considered. Subjects produced forms that use space to indicate verb agreement, as in HANDLE predicates, more accurately than forms in which space indicates locative relationships, as in CLASS predicates

Language and Reading Progress of Young Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children.

We examined the language and reading progress of 336 young DHH children in kindergarten, first and second grades. Trained assessors tested children's language, reading, and spoken and fingerspelled phonological awareness in the fall and spring of the school year. Children were divided into groups based on their auditory access and classroom communication: a spoken-only group (n = 101), a sign-only group (n = 131), and a bimodal group (n = 104). Overall, children showed delays in language and reading compared to norms established for hearing children. For language, vocabulary standard scores were higher than for English syntax. Although delayed in language, children made expected gains based on hearing norms from kindergarten to second grade. Reading scores declined from kindergarten to second grade. Spoken-only and bimodal children had similar word reading and reading comprehension abilities and higher scores than sign-only children. Spoken-only children had better spoken phonological awareness and nonword reading skills than the other two groups. The sign-only and bimodal groups made similar and significant gains in ASL syntax and fingerspelling phonological awareness

Modality and Interrelations Among Language, Reading, Spoken Phonological Awareness, and Fingerspelling

Better understanding of the mechanisms underlying early reading skills can lead to improved interventions. Hence, the purpose of this study was to examine multivariate associations among reading, language, spoken phonological awareness, and fingerspelling abilities for three groups of deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) beginning readers: those who were acquiring only spoken English (n = 101), those who were visual learners and acquiring sign (n = 131), and those who were acquiring both (n = 104). Children were enrolled in kindergarten, first, or second grade. Within-group and between-group confirmatory factor analysis showed that there were both similarities and differences in the abilities that underlie reading in these three groups. For all groups, reading abilities related to both language and the ability to manipulate the sublexical features of words. However, the groups differed on whether these constructs were based on visual or spoken language. Our results suggest that there are alternative means to learning to read. Whereas all DHH children learning to read rely on the same fundamental abilities of language and phonological processing, the modality, levels, and relations among these abilities differ.12 month embargo; published online: 15 May 2019This item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]

Empirically derived injury prevention rules.

This study describes a set of empirically derived safety rules that if followed, would have prevented the occurrence of minor injuries. Epidemiologists have criticized behavioral interventions as increasing "safe" behavior but failing to demonstrate a decrease in injury. The present study documents retrospectively the link between safe behavior and injury. It demonstrates that these empirically derived rules are very similar to rules for the prevention of serious injury. The study also shows that these rules are not widely accepted and implemented by parents. Suggestions for future research in this area are advanced