Technology to Support Sign Language for Students with Disabilities

Abstract

This systematic review of the literature provides a synthesis of research on the use of technology to support sign language. Background research on the use of sign language with students who are deaf/hard of hearing and students with low incidence disabilities, such as autism, intellectual disability, or communication disorders is provided. The practice of utilizing technology incorporating sign language to promote language development, reading comprehension, and writing in sign language users is examined. Also, use of technology to learn sign language is investigated. In addition, the implications for rural educators are discussed. Based on the review, a resource of technology applications is provided for parents, interpreters, and teachers to implement at home or in the rural classroom.

Keywords

sign language technology developmental disability deaf/hard of hearing rural education

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Studies included in the meta-analysis are indicated by an asterisk.

American Sign Language Clip and Create 5 [computer software] (2009). Wheaton, MD: Institute for Disabilities Research and Training.

Arnold,

, Newman,

, Gaddy,

, & Dean,

(2005). A look at the condition of rural education research: Setting a direction for future research. Journal of Research in Rural Education, 20(6), 1-25.

Bernard-Opitz,

, Sriram,

, & Nakhoda-Sapuan,

(2001). Enhancing social problem solving in children with autism and normal children through computer-assisted instruction. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 31, 377-384.

* Beykirch,

H. L.

, Holcomb,

T. A.

, & Harrington,

J. F.

(1989). Isolated sign vocabulary acquisition by hearing adults: CAI vs. videotaped presentation. American Annals of the Deaf, 134, 31-34.

Boe,

, Bobbitt,

, Cook,

, Whitener,

, & Weber,

(1997). Why didst thou go? Predictors of retention, transfer, and attrition of special and general education teachers from a national perspective. Journal of Special Education, 30, 390-411.

Bryen,

D. N.

, & Joyce,

D. G.

(1986). Sign language and the severely handicapped. The Journal of Special Education, 20, 183-194.

* Buisson,

(2007). Using online glossing lessons for accelerated instruction in ASL for preservice deaf education majors. American Annals of the Deaf, 152, 331-343.

Burd,

, Hammes,

, Bornhoeft,

, & Fisher,

(1988). A North Dakota prevalence study of nonverbal school-age children. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 19(4), 371-383.

10.

* Cannon,

, Frederick,

, & Easterbrooks,

(2010). Vocabulary instruction through books read in American Sign Language for English-language learners with hearing loss. Communication Disorders Quarterly, 31(2), 98-112.

11.

Carbone,

, Sweeney-Kerwin,

, Attanasio,

, & Kasper,

(2010). Increasing the vocal responses of children with autism and developmental disabilities using manual sign mand training and prompt delay. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 43, 705-709.

12.

Carr,

E. G.

, & Kologinsky,

(1983). Acquisition of sign language by autistic children: Spontaneity and generalization effects. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 16, 297-314 .

13.

Clibbens,

, Powell,

, & Atkinson,

(2002). Strategies for achieving joint attention when signing to children with Down syndrome. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 37, 309-324.

14.

Cooper,

(2010). Research synthesis and meta-analysis: A step-by-step approach, 4^th ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.

15.

Dahl,

, & Wilcox,

(1990). Preparing the educational interpreter: A survey of sign language interpreter training programs. American Annals of the Deaf, 135, 275–279.

16.

* Dowaliby,

, & Lang,

H. G.

(1999). Adjunct aids in instructional prose: A multimedia study with deaf college students. Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, 4(4), 270-282.

17.

Easterbrooks,

, & Baker,

(2002). Language learning in children who are deaf and hard of hearing: Multiple pathways. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

18.

* Ellis,

, & Blashki,

(2007). The digital playground: Kindergarten children learning sign language through multimedia. Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education Journal, 15(3), 225-253.

19.

Erickson,

, Noonan,

, & McCall,

(2012). Effectiveness of online professional development for rural special educators. Rural Special Education Quarterly, 31(1), 22-26.

20.

Gallaudet Research Institute. (2011). Regional and national summary report of data from the 2009-10 annual survey of deaf and hard of hearing children and youth. Washington, DC: GRI, Gallaudet University. Retrieved from http://research.gallaudet.edu/Demographics/2010_National_Summary.pdf

21.

* Gentry,

M. M.

, Chinn,

K. M.

, & Moulton,

R. D.

(2005). Effectiveness of multimedia reading materials when used with children who are deaf. American Annals of the Deaf, 149, 394-402.

22.

Gepner,

, Lainé,

, & Tardif,

(2005). E-Motion mis-sight and other temporal processing disorders in autism. Cahiers de Psychologie Cognitive/Current Psychology of Cognition, 23, 104-121.

23.

Goldstein,

(2002). Communication intervention for children with autism: A review of treatment efficacy. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disabilities, 32, 373-396.

24.

* Golos,

D. B.

(2010). Deaf children's engagement in an educational video in American Sign Language. American Annals of the Deaf, 155, 360-368.

25.

Grove,

, & Dockrell,

(2000). Multisign combinations by children with intellectual impairments: An analysis of language skills. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 43, 309-323.

26.

* Hamilton,

(2012). The efficacy of dictionary use while reading for learning new words. American Annals of the Deaf, 157, 358-372.

27.

Heimann,

, Nelson,

K. E.

, Tjus,

, & Gillberg,

(1995). Increasing reading and communication skills in children with autism through an interactive multimedia computer program. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 25, 459-480.

28.

Henderson,

, & Hendershott,

(1991). ASL and the family system. American Annals of the Deaf, 136, 325-329.

29.

Hitch,

(2005). Educational interpreters: Certified or uncertified? Journal of Law & Education, 34(1), 161-165.

30.

* Hoffman,

, & Wang,

(2010). The use of graphic representations of sign language in leveled texts to support deaf readers. American Annals of the Deaf, 155, 131-136.

31.

Howley,

, Wood,

, & Hough,

(2011). Rural elementary school teachers' technology integration. Journal of Research in Rural Education, 26(9), 1-13.

32.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004, PL 108-466, 20 U. S. C. §1400, H. R. 1350.

33.

Kiernan,

(1983). The use of nonvocal communication techniques with autistic individuals. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 24, 339-376.

34.

Knapczyk,

, Chapman,

, Rodes,

, & Chung,

(2001). Teacher preparation in rural communities through distance education. Teacher Education and Special Education, 24, 402-407.

35.

* Lang,

H. G.

, & Steely,

(2003). Web-based science instruction for deaf students: What research says to the teacher. Instructional Science, 31 (4-5), 277-298.

36.

Ludlow,

, Conner,

, & Schechter,

(2005). Low incidence disabilities and personnel preparation for rural areas: Current status and future trends. Rural Special Education Quarterly, 24(3), 15-22.

37.

Marschark,

(2001). Language development in children who are deaf: A research synthesis. Alexandria, VA: National Association of State Directors of Special Education.

38.

Matas,

J. A.

, Mathy-Laikko,

, Beukelman,

D. R.

, & Legresley,

(1985). Identifying the nonspeaking population: A demographic study. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 1(1), 17-31.

39.

Mayberry,

(2002). Cognitive development in deaf children: The interface of language and perception in neuropsychology. In Segalowitz

S. J.

& Rapin

(Eds.), Handbook of neuropsychology, (2^nd ed., pp. 71-207). Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier.

40.

Mayer,

, & Akamatsu,

(1999). Bilingual-bicultural models of literacy education for deaf students: considering the claims. Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, 4(1), 1-8.

41.

Moore,

, & Calvert,

(2000). Brief report: Vocabulary acquisition for children with autism: Teacher or computer instruction. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 30, 359-362.

42.

Moores,

D. F.

(2010). History of language and communication issues in deaf education. In Marschark

& Spencer

P. E

(Eds.), The Oxford handbook of Deaf studies, language, and education, Volume 2 (pp. 17-30). New York, NY: Oxford University Press, Inc.

43.

* Mueller,

, & Hurtig,

(2009). Technology-enhanced shared reading with deaf and hard-of-hearing children: The role of a fluent signing narrator. Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, 15(1), 72-101.

44.

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. (2000). American Sign Language, NIH Publication #00-4756. Bethesda, MD: NIDOCD, NIH. Retrieved from http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/asl.asp

45.

* Nikolaraizi,

, Vekiri,

, & Easterbrooks,

S. R.

(2013). Investigating deaf students' use of visual multimedia resources in reading comprehension. American Annals of the Deaf, 157, 458-473.

46.

Nunes,

(2008). AAC interventions for autism: A research summary. International Journal of Special Education, 23(2), 17-26.

47.

* Poobrasert,

, & Cercone,

(2009). Evaluation of educational multimedia support system for students with deafness. Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia, 18(1), 71-90.

48.

* Prinz,

P. M.

(1991). Literacy and language development within microcomputer-videodisc-assisted interactive contexts. Journal of Childhood Communication Disorders, 14(1), 67-80.

49.

* Prinz,

P. M.

, & Nelson,

K. E.

(1985). “Alligator eats cookie”: Acquisition of writing and reading skills by deaf children using the microcomputer. Applied Psycholinguistics, 6, 283-306.

50.

Provasnik,

, KewalRamani,

, McLaughlin Coleman,

, Gilbertson,

, Herring,

, & Xie,

(2007). Status of Education in Rural America (NCES 2007-040). National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U. S. Department of Education. Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2007/2007040.pdf

51.

Rude,

, Jackson,

, Correa,

, Luckner,

, Muir,

, & Ferrell,

(2005). Perceived needs of students with low-incidence disabilities in rural areas. Rural Special Education Quarterly, 24(3), 3-14.

52.

Schaeffer,

(1980). Spontaneous language through signed speech. In Schiefelbusch

R.L.

(Ed.), Nonspeech language and communication (pp. 421-446). Baltimore, MD: University Park Press.

53.

* Scheetz,

N. A.

, & Gunter,

P. L.

(2004). Online versus traditional classroom delivery of a course in manual communication. Exceptional Children, 7, 109-120.

54.

Schick,

, Williams,

, & Bolster,

(1999). Skill levels of educational interpreters working in public schools. Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, 4, 144-155.

55.

Schlosser,

, & Wendt,

(2008). Effects of augmentative and alternative communication intervention on speech production in children with autism: A systematic review. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 17, 212-230.

56.

Signing Exact English [computer software] (2000). Los Alamitos, CA: Modern Signs Press.

57.

Trace R&D Center. (1999). The Unified Web Site Accessibility Guidelines, G Vanderheiden

, Chisholm

, Eds. Retrieved from http://www.tracecenter.org/

58.

U.S. Department of Education. (2008). 30^th annual report to congress on the implementation of the IDEA 2008. Retrieved from http://www2.ed.gov

59.

* Volterra,

, Pace,

, Pennacchi,

, & Corazza,

(1995). Advanced learning technology for a bilingual education of deaf children. American Annals of the Deaf, 140, 402-409.

60.

* Wang,

& Paul,

(2011). Integrating technology and reading instruction with children who are deaf or hard of hearing: The effectiveness of the Cornerstone Project. American Annals of the Deaf, 156(1), 56-68.

61.

* Wilson,

, & Hyde,

(1997). The use of Signed English pictures to facilitate reading comprehension by deaf students. American Annals of the Deaf, 142, 333-341.

62.

Worah,

(n.d.). A survey of augmentative and alternative communication services in Connecticut. Retrieved from http://ctserc.org/aacsurvey

63.

Yarger,

C. C.

(2001). Educational interpreting: Understanding the rural experience. American Annals of the Deaf, 146, 16-30.

64.

Yoder,

& Layton,

(1988). Speech following sign language training in autistic children with minimal verbal language. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 18, 217-229.