2024 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 17-19, 2024 • Denver, CO
| Tailoring ASL Support for Deaf Children: Demographic Patterns and Language Outcomes
Tailoring ASL Support for Deaf Children: Demographic Patterns and Language Outcomes
Language outcomes among Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing (DHH) children are highly variable and notoriously difficult to predict (Herman, Knoors, & Verhoeven, 2010; Pisoni et al., 2018; Szagun & Schramm, 2016). In our study, we explored how demographic characteristics influence American Sign Language (ASL) development in deaf children. We developed a bilingual question bank about DHH children's demographic background and language experience, and used this to collect information from caregivers of 289 DHH children (age 3–59mo., Mean: 30.7mo.). Using cluster analysis, we measured patterns in how demographic and language background variables (gender, race, ethnicity, maternal education, child hearing characteristics, parent language and hearing abilities, and disability status) covary among DHH children. Of these, the variables that covaried most strongly were parent hearing status, parent sign proficiency, and language use at home. Two main clusters emerged from the data: Cluster 1, DHH children whose parents had high ASL proficiency (the majority of whom were deaf themselves) and primarily used ASL in the home; and Cluster 2, DHH children whose parents had low-to-mid ASL proficiency (the majority of whom were hearing) and used a mix of speech and sign at home.
Connecting this to language outcomes, we collected vocabulary data using the ASL CDI 2.0 (Caselli, Lieberman, & Pyers, 2020). Within these clusters, we examined the variables influencing children's language proficiency, focusing especially on actionable predictors. This analytical approach removes the emphasis on immutable demographic factors, like parent hearing status, and instead allows us to characterize how parent choices can positively affect language outcomes. Across both clusters, frequency and age of ASL exposure significantly predicted variance in children’s vocabulary production, such that earlier-exposed children had larger vocabularies, and children exposed to ASL more frequently showed more rapid vocabulary growth. These findings underscore the necessity of early language exposure in shaping language outcomes for all DHH children.
- Participants will be able to differentiate between clusters of DHH children based on demographic patterns.
- Participants will be able to identify demographic factors and language use patterns associated with language development in deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) children.
- Participants will be able to explain the significance of early language exposure in enhancing language outcomes for DHH children.
Presentation:
3478265_16425ErinCampbell.pdf
https://youtu.be/XvmQHcVBSb4
Handouts:
Handout is not Available
Transcripts:
CART transcripts are NOT YET available, but will be posted shortly after the conference
Presenters/Authors
Naomi Caselli
(Author), Boston University, nkc@bu.edu;
Naomi Caselli, PhD is an Assistant Professor in the Programs in Deaf Studies at Boston University. She is the PI on three NIH and NSF funded grants examining to vocabulary of ASL, and how language deprivation affects how people learn and process ASL signs. She earned a joint PhD in Psychology and Cognitive Science from Tufts University, as well as an Ed.M. in Deaf Education and an M.A. in Psychology from Boston University. She is hearing, and a native speaker of both ASL and English.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
Erin Campbell
(Primary Presenter), Boston University, eecamp@bu.edu;
Erin Campbell is a postdoctoral researcher in the Lex and LAVA labs at Boston University. She earned her MA and PhD in Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience at Duke University with Dr. Elika Bergelson, investigating vocabulary acquisition in children born deaf or blind. Her research centers on how young children integrate multiple sources of input (including language input and input from the senses) to learn words.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Financial relationship with .
Nature: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (Project #5R01DC018279).
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.