Thirty hearing impaired students (11-14 years old) participated in a study to measure classification principles using demonstration or display of labels containing relevant words or iconic signs. Three methods of teaching classificatory principles were employed: demonstration, verbal labels, or iconic labels. Analysis of mistakes made by Ss…

Three experiments examined the relation between language acquisition and other symbolic abilities in 18- and 26-month old infants. Infants' ability to learn either words or symbolic gestures as names for object categories were compared across age groups. Findings indicated that infants at both ages learned novel words as symbols for object…

The relationship between sign and verbal learning was explored using 10 severely mentally retarded adults. They were taught color labels in sign, verbal, or sign and verbal groups. Sign labels tended to be learned more efficiently; combined sign and verbal training improved verbal learning but not sign learning. (Author/CM)