ERIC Number: EJ1434417
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024-Apr
Pages: 19
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1081-4159
EISSN: EISSN-1465-7325
Available Date: N/A
Sign Language Delays in Deaf 3- to 5-Year-Olds with Deaf Parents
Donna A. Morere; Thomas E. Allen; Maura Jaeger; Dana Winthrop
Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, v29 n2 p115-133 2024
Research has demonstrated that deaf children of deaf signing parents (DOD) are afforded developmental advantages. This can be misconstrued as indicating that no DOD children exhibit early language delays (ELDs) because of their early access to a visual language. Little research has studied this presumption. In this study, we examine 174 ratings of DOD 3- to 5-year-old children, for whom signing in the home was indicated, using archival data from the online database of the Visual Communication and Sign Language Checklist. Our goals were to (1) examine the incidence of ELDs in a cohort of DOD children; (2) compare alternative scaling strategies for identifying ELD children; (3) explore patterns among behavioral ratings with a view toward developing a greater understanding of the types of language behaviors that may lie at the root of language delays; and (4) suggest recommendations for parents and professionals working with language-delayed DOD children. The results indicated that a significant number of ratings suggested ELDs, with a subset significantly delayed. These children likely require further evaluation. Among the less delayed group, ASL skills, rather than communication or cognition, were seen as the major concern, suggesting that even DOD children may require support developing linguistically accurate ASL. Overall, these findings support the need for early and ongoing evaluation of visual language skills in young DOD children.
Descriptors: Sign Language, Young Children, Parents with Disabilities, Deafness, Developmental Delays, Visual Aids, Nonverbal Communication, Alternative Assessment, Skill Development, Language Skills
Oxford University Press. Great Clarendon Street, Oxford, OX2 6DP, UK. Tel: +44-1865-353907; Fax: +44-1865-353485; e-mail: jnls.cust.serv@oxfordjournals.org; Web site: http://jdsde.oxfordjournals.org/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: National Science Foundation (NSF), Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE); National Science Foundation (NSF), Office of International Science & Engineering (OISE)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: 1041725; 1545900
Author Affiliations: N/A