During an eight-month treatment regimen utilizing simultaneous sign/speech input, all of the words of a young girl with Down's Syndrome were recorded. Analyses revealed that most of the words she initially signed were later spontaneously spoken and that most of her signed productions evolved into spontaneous spoken productions. (Author/JDD)

Designed for preschool deaf/hearing impaired children whose developmental abilities range from 18 months through 5 years, this experiential curriculum uses a total communication approach in which language development is promoted in a natural setting. The guide is offered as a framework for teachers to use in developing their own individualized…

This booklet presents knowledge, attitudes, and educational ideas on how to give deaf children the support they need to develop. It focuses on the fundamental and comprehensive needs of deaf children, using methods and ideas that can be adjusted to countries without great technical resources. The first chapter examines the importance of language…

Hearing impaired children from birth to age 5 in rural areas throughout the state of Utah are served by a home-based program which trains parents to communicate effectively with their hearing impaired child. The program is based on the following premises: (1) the preschool years are critical for developing communication skills; (2) the home is the…

This literature review examines selected variables that may influence teachers' ability to read books to preschool and elementary deaf children in total communication programs. The paper explores the role of signs in reading stories and factors influencing the signability of stories, including reading rate, length of sentences, length of text used…