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Why Sign Language Research Is Essential for Understanding Language and Language Disorder.

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Title: Why Sign Language Research Is Essential for Understanding Language and Language Disorder.
Authors: Shield, Aaron1 shielda@miamioh.edu
Source: Journal of Speech, Language & Hearing Research. Jul2026, Vol. 69 Issue 7, p3381-3384. 4p.
Subject Terms: *Language & languages, *Deafness in children, *Autism, *Language disorders, *Asperger's syndrome, *Sign language, *Language acquisition, Linguistics, Communicative disorders research, Hypothesis, Treatment of communicative disorders
Abstract: Purpose: Sign language research has often been framed as supplementary to spoken language studies. In this article, I argue that sign language research is not only equal in value but also essential to understanding the human language faculty and its disorders. Method: I present three arguments: that sign language reveals phenomena unobservable in speech, enables the testing of otherwise untestable hypotheses, and helps disentangle speech from language. Results: Drawing on research with deaf children with autism and other language disorders, I demonstrate how signed languages can transform both theoretical models and clinical approaches to language impairment. Conclusion: Sign languages provide a unique empirical lens through which to view linguistic and clinical phenomena that would otherwise remain obscured. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Speech, Language & Hearing Research is the property of American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Education Research Complete
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  Data: Why Sign Language Research Is Essential for Understanding Language and Language Disorder.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Speech%2C+Language+%26+Hearing+Research%22">Journal of Speech, Language & Hearing Research</searchLink>. Jul2026, Vol. 69 Issue 7, p3381-3384. 4p.
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  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+%26+languages%22">Language & languages</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Deafness+in+children%22">Deafness in children</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Autism%22">Autism</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+disorders%22">Language disorders</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Asperger's+syndrome%22">Asperger's syndrome</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sign+language%22">Sign language</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+acquisition%22">Language acquisition</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Linguistics%22">Linguistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Communicative+disorders+research%22">Communicative disorders research</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Hypothesis%22">Hypothesis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Treatment+of+communicative+disorders%22">Treatment of communicative disorders</searchLink>
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  Data: Purpose: Sign language research has often been framed as supplementary to spoken language studies. In this article, I argue that sign language research is not only equal in value but also essential to understanding the human language faculty and its disorders. Method: I present three arguments: that sign language reveals phenomena unobservable in speech, enables the testing of otherwise untestable hypotheses, and helps disentangle speech from language. Results: Drawing on research with deaf children with autism and other language disorders, I demonstrate how signed languages can transform both theoretical models and clinical approaches to language impairment. Conclusion: Sign languages provide a unique empirical lens through which to view linguistic and clinical phenomena that would otherwise remain obscured. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Speech, Language & Hearing Research is the property of American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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        Value: 10.1044/2026_JSLHR-25-00566
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        Text: English
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        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Deafness in children
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      – SubjectFull: Autism
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      – SubjectFull: Language disorders
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      – SubjectFull: Asperger's syndrome
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      – SubjectFull: Sign language
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              M: 07
              Text: Jul2026
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