We present a study in which multimedia alphabet books were constructed for ten languages using the Learning And Reading Assistant (LARA) platform. We describe the alphabet books we built, the different design features they instantiate, and an initial evaluation using an anonymous online questionnaire. Links are provided to the books themselves,…

Language immersion from birth is crucial to a child's language development. However, language immersion can be particularly challenging for hearing parents of deaf children to provide as they may have to overcome many difficulties while learning American Sign Language (ASL). We are in the process of creating a mobile application to help hearing…

The Deafsign Project began as a microcomputer approach using screen graphics to visually depict the handsigns of the alphabet and evolved into signs used for words and phrases. The program features drills on the alphabet and word use and includes a graded test. (CL)

Students who are deaf often have great difficulty in accessing written English. A "bilingual" approach to education may help deaf students improve their literacy skills. This paper explains work in progress regarding two projects supported by the United States Department of Education, which explore the potential of interactive video…

Two pilot studies probed effectiveness of linguistically controlled, highly visual computer-assisted instruction (CAI) for English grammar instruction with hearing-impaired high school students (N=29 in the first study and N=71 in the second). Results from the first study suggested that state-of-the-art CAI designed specifically for use with this…

This report describes ongoing activities and results of the HyperSign Immersion Project developed at the Public School for the Deaf in New York City, New York. The project's objectives were to: (1) provide a means to enable Deaf students to assume a self-directed role in education; (2) provide an on-site prototype of a technologically supportive…

Johnson County Community College, in Kansas, recently implemented a unique laboratory combining interactive video, computers, and peer tutors to support its speech communication, foreign language, and interpreter training departments. The facility is equipped with 15 interactive, video-based work stations, costing $3,930 each; four computer…

This paper looks at computer technology's current and potential role in developing literacy in hearing impaired (HI) adults. First, the paper considers findings of adult literacy research including the national impact of illiteracy, functional literacy, communication and thinking skills, the whole language approach, the process approach to…