Signing systems that attempted to represent spoken language via manual signs -- some invented, and some borrowed from natural sign languages -- have historically been used in classrooms with deaf children. However, despite decades of research and use of these systems in the classroom, there is little evidence supporting their educational…

Purpose: The present study sought to explore styles of inclusive communication with deaf people in mainstream schools by answering the following research questions: (1) What styles of communication with deaf students may enhance inclusive education?; (2) What makes these styles effective?; and (3) How may these styles be applied? Method: This…

Recently, the authors' district reconfigured the program for deaf and hard of hearing students, combining the Total Communication (TC) and Listening and Spoken Language (LSL) programs for elementary students and relocating students and staff into a single school. This prompted staff to reflect on and discuss the pedagogy unique to each program.…

This study investigated the perception of voice onset time (VOT) in speech produced during simultaneous communication (SC). Four normally hearing, experienced sign language users were recorded under SC and speech alone (SA) conditions speaking stimulus words with voiced and voiceless initial consonants embedded in a sentence. Twelve…

A study involving 12 hearing sign language users examined the effect of the signing task on temporal features of speech during simultaneous communication (SC). Results indicated longer sentence duration for SC than speech-only conditions, and longer anticipatory duration of the diphthong and interword interval preceding the experimental words.…

To be effective in providing a writing literacy program, regardless of communication approaches, educators should establish program-wide conditions that promote English writing literacy over time. The researcher's purpose for this study was to identify shared characteristics of writing intervention programs in three different communication school…

Materials written by T. H. Gallaudet on the subject of sign language and communication are reviewed that indicate that some of his ideas regarding the use of sign language in teaching deaf students may have been partially misunderstood. (Author/SW)

A study investigated prosodic variables of syllable stress and intonation contours in speech produced during the simultaneous communication (SC) of ten hearing sign language users. Results indicated longer sentence duration for SC than speech only conditions. Vowel duration and frequency differences between stressed and unstressed syllables were…

The clinical records of 31 severely hearing impaired children (6 to 13 years old) who had attended a preschool nursery program were examined to determine which factors would predict aural/oral success. (Author)

The report presents an evaluation of the Utah State School for the Deaf. It is argued that the two programs provided by the school (Total Communication and Oral Communication) are not equally available to each student and that placement of students is not based on professional diagnosis of student needs. Evidence is presented that indicates that…

The study of effects of mode (manual only, manual plus oral, and manual plus oral plus aural) and language (Signed English or American Sign Language) on the comprehension of deaf students (mean age 16 years) found no significant treatment effect for mode of presentation; there was an interaction between languages and mode. (Author/DB)

Reviewed are growth, activities, and changes of the Oral Deaf Adults Section (ODAS) of the Alexander Graham Bell Association since its establishment in 1964 to aid adjustment of the deaf to society. (MC)

Attachment behaviors were compared for groups of mother/deaf preschool child dyads where only oral communication was used and where total communication was used. Results showed that very few of the children were distressed by separation from their mothers. Further, the children's level of communicative competence was shown to be associated with…

The speech intelligibility of 18 children with prelingual deafness was examined after using cochlear implants for an average of 3 years. The average speech intelligibility score of the nine children using oral communication was significantly higher than that of nine children using total communication. (DB)

Examined with 17 elementary level deaf children were the integration of deaf children with an oral, integrated instructional background with a deaf class with a total communication instructional background and the integration of deaf children with partial or total reliance on total communication with a hearing class. (SBH)