When evaluating the work of congenitally deaf students whose native language is spatial and semiotic, composition teachers must avoid being what Marjorie Siegel calls "verbocentric," since congenitally deaf students are, in effect, learning to write in a language completely foreign to them in structure, syntax, and grammar. The…

The project evaluated the effectiveness of using Total Communication (simultaneous use of sign language and speech) with six infants with Down syndrome as a means of fostering communication while verbal skills and articulatory proficiency develop. Each child was seen within the home environment every second week through 24 months of age and once a…

If nonverbal decoding skills are impaired by cultural expectations and training, the deaf person will be further isolated from social participation. To identify factors that might account for inaccurate nonverbal decoding of deaf subjects, a study compared the decoding abilities of three groups of deaf college students (N=76) using R. Rosenthal's…

A description is provided of the development, students, program offerings, personnel, and funding of LaGuardia Community College's (LCC) Continuing Education Programs for Deaf Adults (PDA). First, introductory material describes the postsecondary educational options available to deaf adults, and highlights the community college's emerging role as…

Three issues of the journal for 1985 focus on issues related to special education in New York. The winter issue centers on educating low incidence handicapped children in New York City. Articles address such aspects as special education effectiveness, occupational training centers, centers for multiply handicapped students, hospital schools, early…

As one of a regular series, this report focuses on the status and progress of studies on the nature of speech, instrumentation for its investigation, and practical applications. Drawn from the period of July 1 to December 31, 1981, the 15 manuscripts cover the following topics: (1) phonetic trading relations and context effects; (2) temporal…

This first volume in a bicultural educational series designed and produced especially for use in the Aberdeen (South Dakota) area schools has educational import for children and teachers everywhere who have an interest in the art and culture of the Western Sioux Tribe. This visual and verbal approach to art appreciation emphasizes the function of…

In view of the lack of information on special programs for the hearing impaired in Arizona community colleges, a survey, based on the exemplary special programs at the University of Arizona and at Pima Community College, was sent to the 15 community colleges in the state. The survey investigated the following areas: the program supervisor, the…

The Developmental Day School, a 4-year-old demonstration school in Phoenix, is described. The curriculum is based on neurodevelopmental, sensory integrative principles. An interdisciplinary staff integrates communication, daily living, academic, sensorimotor and music components. Self-stimulating behaviors are handled by analyzing the child's…

One of the major goals in deaf education is to teach deaf and hard of hearing students the tools and strategies to solve mathematical word problems. A mathematical word problem curriculum was designed and implemented based on telling, reading and writing number tales in American Sign Language (ASL) and English. The learning experiences helped…

This paper describes the activities and outcomes of a program in literacy education for the deaf funded by the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy. The "L.E.A.D." program began in El Paso, Texas, on September 1, 1995, and ceased operations on July 31, 1997. The program was designed to improve communication in economically disadvantaged…

This collection of 24 papers focuses on language and society in South Africa. Part 1, "The Main Language Groupings," includes (1) "South Africa: A Sociolinguistic Overview" (R. Mesthrie); (2) "The Khoesan Languages" (A. Traill); (3) "The Bantu Languages: Sociohistorical Perspectives" (Robert K. Herbert and…

Examined the effect over time of the use of sign language in a two-year period, including preschool and ending with kindergarten, on hearing children's language development. Found vocabulary gains, no evidence of memory decay over time, and positive evidence for inclusion of sign language instruction in early childhood education. (SD)

A study examined the decision making processes of 29 Hispanic families who have a child with hearing impairments. Results indicate language and cultural barriers often complicate deliberations of parents. The communication method chosen tended to be the one recommended by professionals, usually a combination of spoken English and sign language.…

Empirical studies evaluating speech and language intervention procedures applied to children with autism are reviewed and the documented benefits are summarized. In particular, interventions incorporating sign language, discrete-trial training, and milieu teaching procedures have been used successfully to expand the communication repertoires of…