Bibliographic Details
| Title: |
Bridge of Signs: Can Sign Language Empower Non-Deaf Children to Triumph over Their Communication Disabilities? |
| Authors: |
Toth, Anne |
| Source: |
American Annals of the Deaf. Reference 2009, Vol. 154 Issue 2, p85-95. 11p. |
| Subject Terms: |
*Deaf children, *Autism in children, *Fetal alcohol syndrome, *Speech therapists, Sign language acquisition, Means of communication, Language, Treatment of communicative disorders in children, Communication models |
| Geographic Terms: |
United States |
| Abstract: |
The article presents the study which determines the significant use of sign language as a communication bridge for non-deaf children in the U.S. The study's purpose is to examine the use of sign language for non-deaf children ages 0 to 6 years old who have been diagnosed with communication difficulties such as autism, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), and down syndrome. Speech language therapists, parents, and teaching staffs noted that hearing children who used the bridge of signs model experienced language development with sign language and also used as the foundation in bridging to speak the oral language of their caretakers. Also, deaf children who used the model showed improvement in the vocabulary acquisition and production though more likely exposed to sign language. |
| Database: |
Education Research Complete |
