SIGNED LANGUAGE ACQUISITION CHECKLIST

THE LONG-TERM GOAL OF THE PROJECT IS TO PRODUCE MARKETABLE, RESEARCH-BASED CHECKLIST FOR ASSESSING AND MONITORING THE SIGNED LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT OF DEAF CHILDREN. TYPICALLY, CHILDREN WITH SUBSTANTIAL HEARING IMPAIRMENTS EXPERIENCE DELAYS IN ACQUIRING ENGLISH, BUT ACCESS TO A SIGNED LANGUAGE MAY FACILITATE FULL NATURAL LANGUAGE ACQUISITION, PROVIDING A SOLID FOUNDATION FOR LITERACY AND OTHER AREAS OF DEVELOPMENT. THE PROJECT WILL DESIGN AN INSTRUMENT INTENDED TO: (A) FILL A GAP IN AVAILABLE TOOLS FOR COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT; (B) ASSESS SIGNED LANGUAGE GRAMMATICAL DEVELOPMENT IN A CHECKLIST FORMAT; AND (C) PROVIDE ASSESSMENT INPUT FOR DEVELOPMENT OF INDIVIDUAL EDUCATIONAL PLANS AND DETERMINATION OF PROGRAM PLACEMENT. DURING PHASE I (NOW COMPLETED), A PRELIMINARY CHECKLIST, SOMEWHAT SIMILAR TO SCALES USED TO CHART ORAL LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT, WAS CREATED, PILOT-TESTED, REVISED AS INDICATED BY THE FEEDBACK OF TEACHERS, CLINICIANS AND LINGUISTS, AND IS NOW READY FOR MORE EXTENSIVE FIELD-TESTING WITH A NATIONAL SAMPLE OF DEAF CHILDREN. THE P. I. HAS RECEIVED A SMALL GRANT FROM THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO DEVELOP AND FIELD-TEST MATERIALS TO TRAIN OTHERS IN THE USE OF THIS CHECKLIST. SHE IS ALSO APPLYING FOR FURTHER SUPPORT FROM THE NIH TO CONTINUE DEVELOPMENT OF THE INSTRUMENT AND CONDUCT LONG-TERM RESEARCH ON CHILD LANGUAGE DATA COLLECTED WITH IT.