Seventeen speech/language pathologists were surveyed concerning reasons for and success of sign language intervention with 118 severely/profoundly mentally retarded students. Though sign language was part of the educational program for approximately one quarter of the students, results suggested that sign language was not an effective…

The effects of three types of tutoring treatments on the attitudes of learning-disabled and control students (n=124) in grades K-6 were compared. The tutoring programs, involving sign language and reading, produced beneficial effects on attitudes about peers, school, and learning, whereas control students did not experience comparable gains.…

This final report describes the activities and outcomes of OPTICA (Our Path Together Initiating Cultural Access) programs. For each program an information sheet indicates the goal, total participation, status of the goal, and activities of the program. Programs included: (1) Hands On: ASL Creative Story Telling, a program that used children's…

Discusses how teachers can teach science to elementary students with deafness. Urges the need to provide scientific knowledge in an accessible language and to encourage "hands on" experiences with a variety of materials. Addresses how science can increase competency in reading and writing English. (CR)

Describes Australia's first bilingual program for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Students use Australian Sign Language for face-to-face communication and English for reading and writing. Discusses the phases that occur as students progress within the early stages of reading, writing, and spelling. (CR)

Describes the "Personal Communicator," a CD-ROM communication tool designed to enhance social interactions of deaf children and their hearing associates. Each of the program's five components is described: the chat screen, the dictionary, the writer's notebook, the conversation recorder, and the sign language playroom. Examples of the program's…

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)

Illegal parking in spaces reserved for people with physical disabilities was examined across three conditions: a vertical sign alone or in combination with a message sign announcing public surveillance or a message device dispensing reminder notes and announcing community involvement. Messages increasing expectation of negative social consequences…

Four hearing-impaired students were mainstreamed into an English class of normally hearing students. Classroom communication progressed from sign interpreting, to sign interpreting along with a real-time graphic display (RTGD) of words spoken by teacher or students, to RTGD alone. Student reactions to the mainstreaming experience and to the…

Contends music education can help hearing-impaired students achieve both academic and social goals of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (1990). Describes instructional content and methods of elementary program utilizing sign language, vocal music, and keyboard computer music systems. Concludes with description of school performance in…

Discusses the design of combined school/public libraries and includes the views of three high school librarians and two elementary school librarians who helped create combined libraries. Topics include physical design issues, including entrances, lighting, and location; funding; cost benefits; contracts; signage; and parking. (LRW)

This article shares the experience of implementing, enhancing, and publicizing access to the American Sign Language (ASL) video collection distributed by California Department of Education. The author discusses the issues of service to deaf and hearing-impaired people, including policy adjustments, staff training, and development of the special…

Australia and New Zealand are two South Pacific nations with a shared history of British colonisation and close links maintained through kinship, travel, shared media and business relationships. Our public education systems also reflect a shared history of educational ideas and responses to the challenges of increasingly heterogeneous populations.…

In 1991, a study was conducted by Oakland Community College (OCC) in order to evaluate the need for a proposed Sign Language Interpreter program. OCC's study focused on validating and updating findings from a similar research project begun in fall 1989 by Macomb Community College (MCC) in Warren, Michigan. Federal and state legislation, data from…

A regional center for physically disabled children in Gothenburg, Sweden, called Bracke Ostergard, teaches non-speaking pupils to communicate with Bliss symbols. School records were examined for the 38 non-speaking pupils, mostly cerebral palsied, who had been trained to use Bliss symbols. Results showed that, of the 32 cerebral palsied children,…