Multiparty communication is not commonly used by people with congenital deafblindness. This study evaluates the feasibility and effectiveness of Get Together, an intervention that supports communication partners in foste...Multiparty communication is not commonly used by people with congenital deafblindness. This study evaluates the feasibility and effectiveness of Get Together, an intervention that supports communication partners in fostering multiparty communication with people with congenital deafblindness. Get Together was used to train four communication partners of individuals with congenital deafblindness. The methods used to assess the program evaluation were questionnaires, a semi-structured interview, and video analysis. The results indicate that communication partners succeeded in having multiparty communication with people with congenital deafblindness. They expressed positive feelings about the relevance, feasibility, and effectiveness of the intervention. Get Together has increased confidence in their ability to have multiparty communication with people with congenital deafblindness. Recommendations for implementation included organizing multiparty sessions of different lengths, training more communication partners, and involving other individuals with congenital deafblindness. A subsequent study is planned to examine the intervention's effects on social and communicative exchanges.
Gratitude, a recognized protective factor for mental health state in students with disabilities, has garnered substantial research attention in Western contexts. However, its role among Chinese deaf and hard-of-hearing (...Gratitude, a recognized protective factor for mental health state in students with disabilities, has garnered substantial research attention in Western contexts. However, its role among Chinese deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) adolescents remains underexplored, particularly regarding mechanisms linking gratitude to psychological well-being beyond psychopathological frameworks. Based on a sample of 102 DHH students across Grades 7-12 (mean age = 17.8 years) from two special education schools, the present study attempted to examine the mediating roles of gratitude, affect balance, and self-esteem in the association between gratitude and mental health outcomes. Results indicated that DHH youths reported a relatively high level of gratitude. Gratitude was positively associated with mental health outcomes through enhanced affect balance. This work deepens understanding of the interaction between gratitude and psychological well-being, paving the way for future intervention focusing on gratitude cultivation and mental health prevention programs within DHH educational frameworks.
Child-directed fingerspelling is an approach used by Deaf parents for communication, language, and literacy development. This study reports on findings from a qualitative intrinsic case study aimed at understanding how D...Child-directed fingerspelling is an approach used by Deaf parents for communication, language, and literacy development. This study reports on findings from a qualitative intrinsic case study aimed at understanding how Deaf parents use fingerspelling with their young children. The research questions were: (1) What are the cultural beliefs of Deaf parents regarding fingerspelling with young children? (2) What are their patterns of use of child-directed fingerspelling in natural settings? Twenty-one Deaf families with 27 deaf children ages 5 years and under were interviewed via recorded Zoom meetings conducted in American Sign Language. Data were analyzed using grounded theory to develop a new theoretical contribution with the core category: Deaf families socialize their children into Deaf visual-linguistic norms through fingerspelling. This new theoretical insight aligns with Holcomb's Deaf epistemological framework (2010) and Ochs and Schieffelin's (2008, 2011) language socialization theory. Limitations and recommendations for future research are also included.
In New Zealand, approximately 25% of hearing parents learn New Zealand sign language (NZSL) for their deaf children but little is known about the impact of this choice on hearing parents' identities and their goals for t...In New Zealand, approximately 25% of hearing parents learn New Zealand sign language (NZSL) for their deaf children but little is known about the impact of this choice on hearing parents' identities and their goals for their children's socialization. Five hearing parents were interviewed about their identities as hearing parents and their sociation goals for their children. Four themes were produced from a reflexive thematic analysis of the interviews: (a) parents discover their hearing identities which influences their parenting experiences, (b) parents' identities are situated between deaf and hearing worlds, (c) deaf people are invaluable role models for hearing parents, and (d) NZSL is seen as invaluable to enact socialization goals. The findings suggest that hearing parents' identities are transformed from learning NZSL, and their socialization goals were aligned with deaf culture. Limitations and future directions for research are discussed.
This article explores perceptions about education for the Deaf community within Deaf communities in Ireland, Finland, and the UK. Ireland, Finland, and the UK all provide legal recognition of sign languages in various fo...This article explores perceptions about education for the Deaf community within Deaf communities in Ireland, Finland, and the UK. Ireland, Finland, and the UK all provide legal recognition of sign languages in various forms. However, it is important to understand how these laws impact Deaf people, what their experiences with the law is, and how might the law be altered to improve the lives of people it purports to serve. Interview data from Deaf people across the three countries is presented here which explores these experiences. When asked about what they might improve in the law, an overwhelming number of responses related to the introduction of law to improve access to education. And so, this article has taken those responses and presented them for analysis. Research participants reported concerns about the quality of Deaf education, systemic problems in accessing education, acquisition of other language in Deaf people, the illusion of a choice of school options for parents of Deaf children and the dwindling number of Deaf schools. Participants suggested that meaningful access to bilingual education is needed for Deaf people.
To date, deaf children with deaf parents have been assumed to experience "typical" first language acquisition while deaf children from hearing families have often been excluded from research due to limited language expos...To date, deaf children with deaf parents have been assumed to experience "typical" first language acquisition while deaf children from hearing families have often been excluded from research due to limited language exposure in early life. The present study eschews these assumptions and examines language development across these two populations asking whether the use of a signed language at home, the use of a signed language at school, and the family's socioeconomic status or education level can predict deaf children's fluency in American Sign Language (ASL) and English. Language and familial background data were collected from 96 preschoolers (age: 5 years) and 58 middle schoolers (age range: 11-15 years) in the United States. Deaf children of deaf parents reached higher proficiency in both ASL and English than those from hearing families when compared as groups, but there was considerable overlap in language proficiency between the two groups which was associated with the language environments in children's homes for preschoolers and children's schools for middle schoolers. Socioeconomic status and parent education were associated with English proficiency for deaf children of hearing parents, and with ASL proficiency for deaf children of deaf parents.
This qualitative multiple-case study compares perceptions and practices of sign language in Sweden and Türkiye across special schools and mainstream settings. Sweden represents a well-established bilingual model, whereas...This qualitative multiple-case study compares perceptions and practices of sign language in Sweden and Türkiye across special schools and mainstream settings. Sweden represents a well-established bilingual model, whereas Türkiye illustrates a nascent ecosystem where the formal integration of sign language into educational policy is relatively recent. This study is guided by the overarching research question: What are the perceptions and practices associated with sign language within the education systems of Sweden and Türkiye? Data from 6 school authorities, 51 teachers, 10 parents, and 9 students were collected via interviews/open-ended questionnaires, observations, and document analysis; thematic and cross-case analyses were conducted. The results showed that Swedish participants prioritized language rights, identity, and language status. In Türkiye, although most people supported access at an early age, oralist concerns related to speech sometimes prevailed. Sign language played a central role in Swedish schools for deaf-and-hard-of-hearing students and was included as a subject/support in mainstream schools. In Türkiye, its use was limited due to teachers' fluency, heterogeneous classes, and speech-first norms. In both countries, families and teachers needed to strengthen their sign language proficiency, set an example for school authorities in its use, and provide resources, while sign language-supported materials and curricula were necessary.
Recent research has found that young deaf children can achieve typical language milestones; however, this finding is not the norm as many researchers still find a large part of their sample has language delays. Findings...Recent research has found that young deaf children can achieve typical language milestones; however, this finding is not the norm as many researchers still find a large part of their sample has language delays. Findings from these studies show that the youngest children are showing acquisition of many early linguistic skills in both sign and spoken languages. This language acquisition frequently becomes "spotty," without the smooth, typical growth from early language skills to later acquisition as the child ages. Using the Visual Communication Sign Language (VCSL) checklist to evaluate sign language and the Spoken Language Checklist (SLC) to evaluate spoken language within a descriptive monitoring and assessment study, families recruited were willing to collaborate with their early interventionists and evaluate all languages that their child was acquiring. Together, the checklists were completed and findings were consistent with previous research showing that most of the participants' language acquisition, whether spoken or signed, continues to be delayed. Findings supported earlier work showing that early attentional skills often are not mastered in spoken language or, in some cases, even in sign language. Importantly, some children are using both languages with the younger ones showing better acquisition.
This policy brief examines critical flaws in the Child Outcomes Summary Form (COSF), the primary tool used to assess developmental progress in early intervention (EI) systems, and highlights its discriminatory impact on...This policy brief examines critical flaws in the Child Outcomes Summary Form (COSF), the primary tool used to assess developmental progress in early intervention (EI) systems, and highlights its discriminatory impact on deaf children. The COSF is built on an audist framework that systematically excludes signed language competence as a valid developmental indicator and fails to account for the diverse developmental trajectories of deaf infants and young children. This foundational bias is particularly harmful for deaf children identified through newborn hearing screening, who often enter Birth to Three services well before typical referral ages. When a deaf child's development naturally diverges from hearing monolingual norms over time, the COSF produces artificially declining scores that misrepresent genuine developmental progress. These biased measurements undermine family confidence, distort program evaluations, and jeopardize funding for specialized services proven to improve outcomes when initiated early. The current brief highlights the COSF's inconsistent and harmful theoretical foundations, demonstrates its misalignment with contemporary research on evidence-based assessment of deaf children, and proposes reform measures to ensure culturally responsive, linguistically valid evaluation. Implementing these reforms is essential to protecting the civil rights of deaf children and ensuring accurate, equitable EI assessment.
This study investigated mental health in deaf or hard-of-hearing (DHH) adolescents and adolescents with auditory processing disorder (APD) during and following the COVID-19 pandemic. By focusing on these underrepresented...This study investigated mental health in deaf or hard-of-hearing (DHH) adolescents and adolescents with auditory processing disorder (APD) during and following the COVID-19 pandemic. By focusing on these underrepresented groups, this study addressed a gap in the adolescent mental health research and provided an insight into mental health indicators and potential resources relevant to mental health promotion. We examined the extent of well-being and physical complaints (1) over four annual cross-sectional assessments from 2021 to 2024 and in 2024 (2) compared to hearing adolescents. With regard to resources, we (3) explored self-efficacy and peer group integration between groups and (4) analyzed the relationship between resources with well-being and physical complaints. Our data showed no significant differences in well-being or physical complaints across the 4 years nor between DHH adolescents or adolescents with APD and hearing adolescents. There was also no group difference for self-efficacy. DHH adolescents and adolescents with APD reported lower peer group integration. Self-efficacy was generally associated with higher well-being and fewer physical complaints. Peer group integration was more strongly associated with well-being in hearing adolescents. Findings underscore the importance of strengthening personal and social resources to promote adolescent mental health.
Studying health-related quality-of-life during adolescence involves examining interpersonal adaptation and self-efficacy perception. Among deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) adolescents this task is complex due to additional...Studying health-related quality-of-life during adolescence involves examining interpersonal adaptation and self-efficacy perception. Among deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) adolescents this task is complex due to additional factors related to hearing loss. This is a crucial issue, since it reflects the degree of well-being and social integration in individuals at risk of margination and exclusion. The study aimed to validate the Italian/Italian Sign Language (LIS) version of Youth Quality-of-Life for Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing (YQOL-DHH) questionnaire. 105 deaf adolescents were recruited from a hospital and a school. After administration, we assessed internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha, concurrent validity with the Children's Depression Inventory-CDI through Pearson's correlation coefficient and mean score differences across the instrument's domain (advocacy, perceived stigma, participation) according to demographic and clinical variables. Internal consistency revealed significant data with Cronbach's Alpha 0.86 for advocacy and participation and 0.76 for perceived stigma domain. Regarding concurrent validity we observed significant correlations between CDI and each domain (p < 0,0001). Furthermore, we investigated the effect of variables: gender, age, and hearing device use on domains' scores but found no significant differences. In conclusion, the Italian/LIS version of YQOL-DHH proved to be a reliable, valid, quick, and easy-to-use tool for clinical and research purposes.
This paper examines the ontological, axiological, and epistemological commitments of a deaf-led team, which informs their implementation of story dramas with deaf preschoolers in a Western Canadian preschool. A bimodal b...This paper examines the ontological, axiological, and epistemological commitments of a deaf-led team, which informs their implementation of story dramas with deaf preschoolers in a Western Canadian preschool. A bimodal bilingual teaching team co-constructed a story drama delivery model for deaf children based on training provided by the researcher to the instructional staff at the preschool. The training presented story drama interventions originally developed with hearing preschoolers and elementary students. To examine the ontological, axiological, and epistemological commitments of the deaf-led instructional team, the researcher observed how the deaf-led team applied the training to their story dramas delivery to their deaf preschool students. Multimodal discourse analysis of video recorded classroom sessions of story dramas with deaf preschoolers revealed how the deaf-led team provided a strong ocularcentric, multimodal, and interactive approach to story drama, which differed significantly from the training model developed from sources on story dramas for non-deaf children. The study also included interviews with the deaf-led instructional team, which were coded according to themes arising from the interviews. The study interviews explore the deaf-led team's perceptions of the impact of their delivery of three story dramas on their deaf students, reporting significant changes in their students, including increased linguistic production, development of concepts, collaborative behaviors, and social and emotional development. The study recommends a deaf story drama training model for deaf preschoolers according to deaf ontological, axiological, and epistemological commitments of deaf-led instructors and teams.
Many higher education institutions have invested heavily in accessibility infrastructures for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. Yet accessibility failures in everyday teaching often reveal governance dynamics that remai...Many higher education institutions have invested heavily in accessibility infrastructures for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. Yet accessibility failures in everyday teaching often reveal governance dynamics that remain poorly understood. This study examines how accessibility is governed when it is institutionally assumed to already exist. Drawing on an explanatory qualitative case study conducted at two universities, we analyze four accessibility breakdown incidents across classroom and field-based teaching contexts. Through abductive, process-oriented analysis, we identify a recurring five-step process model through which responsibility for accessibility failures is progressively deferred and redistributed without being clearly reassigned to an accountable actor. We conceptualize this mechanism as responsibility shifting, a governance process through which accessibility formally exists as infrastructure but becomes operationally detached from institutional accountability. By reframing accessibility as an institutional obligation rather than merely infrastructural provision, this study provides a mechanism-based account of accessibility governance in higher education.
D/deaf individuals face higher rates of psychological issues like depression, anxiety, and trauma than the general population. However, tools to assess depressive symptoms in this group are limited. This study aimed to a...D/deaf individuals face higher rates of psychological issues like depression, anxiety, and trauma than the general population. However, tools to assess depressive symptoms in this group are limited. This study aimed to adapt the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) to Turkish D/deaf culture using Turkish Sign Language (TİD). Five bilingual experts translated the scale, followed by a pre-trial with two D/deaf individuals and a pilot study with 40 D/deaf adults. Internal consistency was high: Cronbach's alpha was .884 for the TİD version and .879 for the Turkish version. Item 10 showed low item-total correlation and was slightly revised. A strong correlation between TİD and Turkish versions (r = .946, p < .01) confirmed language equivalence. Participant feedback helped refine clarity and usability. Findings indicate that this work represents a preliminary adaptation study, demonstrating initial reliability and linguistic equivalence of the BDI-II for Turkish D/deaf adults. These results should be interpreted as early evidence, and further research is needed to establish construct validity and broader psychometric properties.
Drawing on Sternberg's theory of thinking styles and self-determination theory, this study examined how thinking styles relate to subjective well-being (SWB) among deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) university students, with...Drawing on Sternberg's theory of thinking styles and self-determination theory, this study examined how thinking styles relate to subjective well-being (SWB) among deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) university students, with academic motivation and grit modeled as parallel mediators and hearing-assistive technology (HAT) use as a grouping factor. A total of 365 DHH students from Chinese universities, including 200 HAT users and 165 non-users, completed validated measures of thinking styles (Types I, II, and III), grit, academic motivation, and SWB, indexed by positive affect, negative affect, and life satisfaction. Independent-samples t-tests revealed no significant group differences across these focal variables. Structural equation modeling showed that grit and academic motivation served as significant mediating pathways linking thinking styles to SWB across the models. Multi-group analysis further revealed structural non-invariance: the indirect effects of thinking styles on life satisfaction through grit were significantly stronger among non-HAT users (β = .40-.45, p < .001) than among HAT users (β = -.05-.10, ns). These findings suggest that HAT use may not be associated with mean-level differences in cognitive or well-being outcomes at the university stage, but may condition the motivational ecology through which thinking styles are translated into well-being. The study highlights the need for differentiated educational supports that reduce listening effort for HAT users and access-coordination effort for non-users.