Reviews and compares two CD-ROMs designed to teach sign language skills: "The American Sign Language Dictionary on CD-ROM" and "Sign Language for Everyone." The first is seen to be the better reference tool whereas the second is judged the better choice for computer users wanting to learn sign language in a structured way. (DB)

A Florida elementary school mainstreaming 30 children with deafness and hearing impairments has developed a collection of signed videotapes for teachers, parents, and students to borrow. Videotapes include signed story books, tapes for teaching sign language, and tapes made by students. (DB)

This report describes the development of two sets of videotapes on early tactile signaling and on interactive signing systems to be used with individuals who are deaf-blind. A tactile signal is defined as a touch cue, tactile gesture, and/or action cue, and these motions help to promote communication for the child who is deaf-blind. The process of…

Games which help hearing-impaired students develop language skills include the barrier game (students help others to arrange items in the same order as theirs); hiding game (students determine objects' hiding places by asking questions); describing game (students describe objects as others draw them); and telephone game (a message is passed…

Twenty prelingually deaf students, aged six-eight, were able to identify words better when presented in a print-plus-graphic-sign condition compared to a print-only condition. The initial use of the graphic representation of signs with the printed words also facilitated the children's immediate retention when reading the printed word only.…

Five hearing parents who spoke and signed SEE-2 (Signing Exact English) to their hearing-impaired children (ages 3-4) were observed, given feedback on their communication abilities, and observed again following a retention period. All parents showed improvement, and three parents changed impressively in form, content, and use of this form of…

The learning of a list of 20 Blissymbols and comparable American Sign Language signs by 121 nonhandicapped undergraduate psychology students was compared. Blissymbols were learned significantly faster than manual signs, particularly in early learning trials. Results are discussed in terms of the memory requirements of the two systems. (Author/JDD)

A school for deaf and hard-of-hearing preschoolers organized and presented a circus, with the objectives of improving reading and writing skills, interaction and cooperation, math and science readiness, fine and gross motor skills, and self-esteem. The students performed as lion tamers, lions, tumblers, weight lifters, and clowns. (JDD)

The article describes activities and outcomes of a home-based early intervention project in Jamaica which helped two mothers learn to communicate with their young congenitally deaf children. The program suggests a pragmatic approach to help Third World parents who are unable to participate in structured sessions in the school environment. (DB)

A project documented and addressed the literacy needs of families of deaf parents with young hearing children (DP/HC). The project combined family literacy training and materials development with exploration of research questions relating to interaction patterns and verbal development. Six half-day literacy training sessions were held for 11 DP/HC…

This book is a collection of essays on helping people with developmental disabilities communicate successfully. It is intended for practitioners and students in special education, speech-language pathology, and psychology. The essays are as follows: "Communicative Behaviour in the Least Restrictive Environment" (Ken Linfoot); "Play…

This study investigated the effectiveness of a natural environment language training procedure that combined the mand-model procedure and the time delay procedure for the acquisition of noun signs and for the spontaneous use of the signs acquired. One autistic boy, aged 5 years, 4 months with no verbal imitation skills and few movement imitation…