Variation occurs in sign languages, just as in spoken languages. Lexical variation is very common and has been related to individual schools for the deaf, so-called "schoolization," rather than only to region or other common sociolinguistic factors, such as gender, social class, etc. (Baker et al. 2016). This study investigates lexical…

Background: Two intervention approaches are implemented in South Africa to alleviate the deleterious consequences of congenital or early onset hearing impairment on language acquisition and subsequent poor learning outcomes. Aim: This study investigated the learning outcomes of foundation phase learners with severe to profound hearing impairment…

Deaf learners are among the most disadvantaged when it comes to educational outcomes in South Africa. The aim of this paper, therefore, is to explore the educational needs of learners who are deaf and use the findings as a basis from which to strengthen their education. This research employed a qualitative research design, drawing on interviews…

Since 1994, the South African government has committed itself to transforming its entire education system with global initiatives related to inclusive education. One of these changes has seen increased support for deaf students in inclusive education settings, as deaf students are increasingly being educated in mainstream classrooms along with…

This exploratory study provides an overview of prominent themes pertaining to portrayals of sign languages (SLs) and Deaf people in the South African press (2011-2019), as well as an analysis of a subset of articles to illustrate the discursive constructions of each of the prominent ideological framings. The findings of the paper suggest that many…

Prior to the emergence of the coronavirus disease in 2019 (COVID-19), studies revealed lower involvement of fathers in the education of learners who are Deaf and Hard of hearing (LDHH). Although research evidence reveals that work structure and other commitments may be responsible for fathers' limited involvement in the education of their…

This study aimed to assess the contributory roles of parental involvement (PI), parental acceptance/rejection (PAR), academic self-efficacy (ASE), computer user self-efficacy (CUSE) vis-à-vis gender and the onset of deafness on the academic resilience (AR) of deaf learners who participated in e-learning during the pandemic. The Bioecological…

In the study reported on here we investigated the effects of sign language barriers among Deaf learners in special schools for the Deaf and Blind in the Motheo District in the Free State province of South Africa. Semi-structured focus group interviews were held with 7 teachers (2 males and 5 females) and 10 Grade 8 learners (6 males and 4 females)…

Many studies on parenting styles with children with disabilities exist; however, few investigate parenting styles of hearing parents whose children have a hearing loss. The aim of this review is to explore the limited previous literature on interventions targeting this phenomenon. Data was extracted from search engines, Ebscohost (Academic Search…

Since 1994, numerous policies promoted social justice and the transformation of the South African society. The recurriculated Bachelor of Education (BEd) programme at the Sol Plaatje University aims to equip students with knowledge and skills to realise the aim of social justice. The aim of this study was to explore Sol Plaatje University…

This article documents a strength-based understanding of how individuals who are deaf maximize their social and professional potential. This exploratory study was conducted with 49 adult participants who are deaf (n = 30) and who have typical hearing (n = 19) residing in America, Australia, England, and South Africa. The findings support a…

This study compared the working memory functioning of deaf children, children with ADHD and typically developing children. Working memory is involved in the storage and mental manipulation of information during classroom learning activities that are crucial for the acquisition of complex skills and knowledge. Thus, it is important to determine how…

The impact of DPN on South Africa is remarkable particularly the profound transformations in the country since 1988. When citizens find that their civil rights are not being granted, they may form movements to claim equal protection for all citizens. They may also call for new laws to stop current discrimination. In 1988 it was the "Deaf…

This article presents the findings of an empirical comparative study in the Nelson Mandela Metropole investigating the difference between the written English of deaf children and the written English of hearing children and makes recommendations on how to improve the writing of deaf children. The psycholinguistic approach was used for the…

The reading skills of many deaf children lag several years behind those of hearing children, and there is a need for identifying reading difficulties and implementing effective reading support strategies in this population. This study embraces a balanced reading approach, and investigates the efficacy of applying multi-sensory coding strategies…