This article analyzes the construction of sign names in an emerging sign language from Mexico, the Yucatec Maya Sign Language (YMSL). Data comes from elicited interviews as well as natural interactions collected by the authors and signers from two different villages, Chicán and Nohkop. Despite YMSL being an isolate language, sign name construction…

Deaf children of hearing parents (DOH) are at risk for early language delays (ELD) due to environmental and etiological factors, compounding the previously reported higher incidence of ELD in deaf children of deaf parents (DOD) compared to the general population. Archival data from the online database of the Visual Communication and Sign Language…

A literature review was conducted to describe important concepts involved in functional analysis of verbal behavior as well as to evaluate empirical research findings on acquisition of picture exchange-based vs. signed mands to suggest instructional implications for teachers and therapists to teach functional communication skills to children with…

Acquisition of phoneme-grapheme correspondences, a key concept of the alphabetic principle, was examined in young children who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) using a semantic association strategy embedded in two interventions, the Children's Early Intervention and Foundations for Literacy. Single-subject design experiments using multiple…

Compares the effectiveness of a visual only approach (mouthing and signing) with a simultaneous visual and auditory approach (signing and speaking) in teaching autistic-like children to communicate. Results suggest the simultaneous approach may be superior. In addition, receptive abilities precede expressive. Implications of therapeutic…

This observational study examined the development and use of communication in a pair of deaf and hearing monozygotic twins from 13 to 36 months of age. Both children were enrolled in a total communication preschool program. In contrast to the hearing twin, the deaf twin used imitative (rather than responsive) signs and gestures. (Author/DB)

Explores the acquisition of productive verbs and (spatial) agreement of American Sign Language (ASL) in the signing of two deaf children with hearing parents. The children, observed at two ages, initially showed markedly different developmental trends. Then their grammatical development converged, and they were able to suit ASL to the kind of…

This paper describes the first three stages of a 4-year study whose purpose is to examine the relationship between American Sign Language (ASL) and English literacy among 160 residential school children (ages 8-15) who are deaf. In the first stage, test instruments were developed, data collection procedures refined, sampling procedures planned,…

Reports on a four-month study of deaf education programs conducted in Sweden and Denmark in March of 1990, and discusses three aspects of language learning involving deaf children's learning sign language as a first language, Swedish as a second language, and hearing parents' and teachers' learning of Swedish Sign Language. (14 references)

A prototype interactive videodisc system was created with the objectives of teaching signed communication skills to hearing associates of deaf children and language patterns to deaf children. This paper reviews the applications of computer technology in deaf education, the self-instructional capabilities of interactive videodisc systems, and…

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 packet contains seven brochures developed during a project on literacy education and parenting skills for deaf parents of young hearing children (DP/HC). The topics of the brochures are as follows: behavior management, self-esteem, speech development in children, language development, nutrition, safety, and deaf parents in a hearing child's…

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…