The study compared scores on a literacy battery of hearing-impaired subjects exposed to either an instructional communication system that attempts to completely encode a language (e.g. oral English, Signing Exact English) or to signed systems that incompletely encode spoken English. Students using the completely encoded language tended to perform…

A mother of a hearing-impaired two year old offers examples of utilizing siblings (who have learned sign language) to foster the language development and socialization of the younger child. (DB)

Reports on a study that tests the hypothesis that simultaneous speech-sign instruction is beneficial for learning for a hearing but language-delayed child. The hypothesis assumes that the child would first demonstrate a preference for sign in labeling vocabulary items but would eventually drop the sign supplement as vocabulary became less…

Research is reviewed on bilingual education and its application to the education of hearing-impaired students. Assessment procedures for obtaining valid samples of language behavior, distinguishing between competence and performance, and considering language variation are emphasized. (CL)

Analyzing language use samples of students who use bimodal (signed-and-spoken) communication can help assess specific language skills, determine language development level, and measure progress over time. Tables present an example of bimodal transcription, semantic and pragmatic skills taxonomies, and the milestones of pragmatic development. (VW)

Discusses learning to read by hearing impaired children and maintains that given a language base (in sign alone, oral and/or signed English), a total communication environment, and the opportunity to utilize various modes to decode written English, it appears likely that hearing impaired children can develop reading and writing skills in English.…