Social processes and outcomes of in-school contact between deaf and hearing peers

Studies of social processes and outcomes of the placement of deaf students with hearing peers cannot be easily summarized, but can be grouped into a least four major categories of focus: social skills, interaction and participation, sociometric status and acceptance, and affective functioning. We review 33 studies available since 1980 in which a mainstreamed or included deaf sample was compared to another group. Studies indicated (1) that hearing students were more socially mature than deaf students in public schools, (2) that deaf students interacted with deaf classmates more than hearing ones, (3) that deaf students were somewhat accepted by their hearing classmates, and (4) that self-esteem was not related to extent of mainstreaming. There was a tendency for studies to use observational methods with very young children, teacher evaluations with middle school children, and questionnaires with older children. Three major areas of methodology limit general conclusions: samples, measurements of variables, and experimental manipulations. The reviewed studies provide a basis for understanding the social processes and outcomes in these placement situations; however, it is not possible to make broad generalizations about effects of placement.     

Integration and Segregation in Mainstreaming Programs for Children and Adolescents with Hearing Impairments

This article describes an investigation of 26 mainstreaming programs for students with hearing impairments from pre‐kindergarten through high school. The purpose of the study was to examine selection criteria, quality and quantity of mainstreaming time, and available support services. Students were found to be mainstreamed according to a number of criteria reported in the literature such as academic performance, hearing loss, and interpersonal skills, but also were affected by the willingness of regular education teachers to accept them into their classrooms. Academic mainstreaming was infrequent, and classroom observations showed that children with hearing impairments often appeared to be not well integrated into classroom activities. Programs varied considerably on all variables examined, including support services; in particular sign language interpreting was offered in some programs, available to a limited extent in others, but in many cases not at all. Clearer definitions of mainstreaming are a necessity and regular education teachers need to be informed of the special requirements of children with hearing impairments.     

Acceptance of deaf students by hearing students in regular classrooms

Peer relations are of great importance during adolescence. Belonging to a group and feelings of acceptance or rejection by other members are paramount. The article explores the attitudes of 792 hearing students from 10 to 20 years of age in 22 different schools in Spain toward the classroom mainstreaming of deaf students. In general terms, the results, obtained from a scale similar to the Likert and consisting of 19 questions, show that the deaf student is well received socially by hearing classmates. Hearing students in general felt that deaf students might be better looked after at a special school and that deaf students did not work as hard as hearing students. Young female hearing students reported the strongest support for mainstreaming of deaf students. Teachers were perceived as dedicated and patient.     

Look who's being left behind: educational interpreters and access to education for deaf and hard-of-hearing students

For many deaf and hard-of-hearing students, access to the general education curriculum is provided, in part, by using the services of an educational interpreter. Even with a highly qualified interpreter, full access to the content and social life in a hearing classroom can be challenging, and there are many aspects of the educational placement that can affect success. The skills and knowledge of the educational interpreter are one critical aspect. This study reports results from a study of approximately 2,100 educational interpreters from across the United States. All the interpreters were evaluated using the Educational Interpreters Performance Assessment (EIPA), an evaluation instrument used to assess and certify classroom interpreters (see Schick, Williams, & Bolster, 1999). The results show that approximately 60% of the interpreters evaluated had inadequate skills to provide full access. In addition, educational interpreters who had completed an Interpreter Training Program had EIPA scores only .5 of an EIPA level above those who had not, on average. Demographic data and its relationship with EIPA ratings are explored. In general, the study suggests that many deaf and hard-of-hearing students receive interpreting services that will seriously hinder reasonable access to the classroom curriculum and social interaction.     

Integration and Mainstreaming in Cultural Context: Canadian and American Approaches

THE OBJECTIVES of this paper are to review the cultural and historical context in which the notion of mainstreaming has developed in the United States and to contrast this with a proposed model for Canadian integration practices. Mainstreaming and integration are contended to be distinctive, reflecting different social dynamics and cultural traditions in each country. There are contrasts in both administrative and research implications of assuming a mainstreaming or integration model. Research on the instructional implications of mainstreaming in the United States most frequently concerns changes in the achievement and adaptive behaviour of exceptional groups as they become more like the mainstream. The chief administrative implication of an integration model is that significant effort should be expended on the development of positive attitudes accepting differences on the part of nonexceptional students. By contrast a mainstreaming model would place more emphasis on adaptation by the exceptional student, so‐called ‘preparation’ for mainstreaming.     

The sound of study: Student experiences of listening in the university soundscape

The students from three universities (Groningen, Oldenburg and the University of Applied Sciences in Utrecht) were surveyed on the experience of hearing and listening in their studies. Included in the online survey were established questionnaires on hearing loss, tinnitus, hyperacusis, a subscale on psychosocial strain resulting from impaired hearing and a questionnaire about students’ perceptions of listening ease in study environments. Results from the 10,466 students who completed the survey (13% response rate) are highlighted, with particular attention to listening ease and measures proposed by students for improving it. The number of students having problems with hearing and listening transpires to be substantially larger when research is not constrained to students with a recognised hearing impairment, suggesting that listening is primarily a sociocultural performance and achievement rather than an artefact of physical attributes. One finding from our survey is that classroom practices could be more effective if study soundscapes are improved, while universities might exercise greater inclusive responsibility for study as a high quality sensory experience for the benefit of all students.     

A Study of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Placement Decisions by Teacher and Computer

An expert system was developed to make decisions about the educational placement of deaf and hard of hearing students within a limited real‐world domain. Teachers of deaf students and the literature were used to delineate factors that influence the placement of deaf and hard of hearing students. A hypothesis based on these factors was then created to guide the development of an expert system referred to as the HISAT Advisor. The placement decisions of the HISAT Advisor for 10 deaf and hard of hearing students were compared with the placement decisions of 10 teachers of deaf students for the same students. The HISAT Advisor decision matched the majority decision of the teachers in 90% of the cases. Faced with an ever‐increasing number of factors to consider when rendering a placement decision, teachers and administrators should examine the value of a systematic theory and an expert system in this decision‐making process.     

Ancillary staff members' mainstreaming recommendations for students with mild exceptionalities

Mainstreaming decisions, including identification of handicapped students for regular class placement and support service recommendations (e.g., reduced class size, inservice training, consultation services), are frequently made by nonclassroom personnel such as school psychologists, occupational/physical therapists, and speech/language pathologists. Factors considered by these professionals in making mainstreaming decisions are poorly understood, however. This study sought to identify mainstreaming modifications judged to be important by ancillary professionals in recommending mainstreaming of students with mild exceptionalities. Data revealed that no significant differences were noted in number of selected modifications as a function of diagnostic category. Ancillary staff members indicated, however, that substantial modifications were needed to facilitate successful mainstreaming. Results are discussed relative to current educational trends.     

Access to postsecondary education through sign language interpreting

Despite the importance of sign language interpreting for many deaf students, there is surprisingly little research concerning its effectiveness in the classroom. The limited research in this area is reviewed, and a new study is presented that included 23 interpreters, 105 deaf students, and 22 hearing students. Students saw two interpreted university-level lectures, each preceded by a test of prior content knowledge and followed by a post-lecture assessment of learning. A variety of demographic and qualitative data also were collected. Variables of primary interest included the effects of a match or mismatch between student interpreting preferences (interpreting vs. transliteration) and the actual mode of interpreting, student-interpreter familiarity, and interpreter experience. Results clarify previous contradictory findings concerning the importance of student interpreting preferences and extend earlier studies indicating that deaf students acquire less than hearing peers from interpreted college-level lectures. Issues relating to access and success in integrated academic settings are discussed as they relate to relations among student characteristics, interpreter characteristics, and educational settings.     

Print exposure, reading habits, and reading achievement among deaf and hearing college students

This study explored relations of print exposure, academic achievement, and reading habits among 100 deaf and 100 hearing college students. As in earlier studies, recognition tests for book titles and magazine titles were used as measures of print exposure, college entrance test scores were used as measures of academic achievement, and students provided self-reports of reading habits. Deaf students recognized fewer magazine titles and fewer book titles appropriate for reading levels from kindergarten through Grade 12 while reporting more weekly hours of reading. As in previous studies with hearing college students, the title recognition test proved a better predictor of deaf and hearing students' English achievement than how many hours they reported reading. The finding that the recognition tests were relatively more potent predictors of achievement for deaf students than hearing students may reflect the fact that deaf students often obtain less information through incidental learning and classroom presentations.     

Student perceptions and instructional effectiveness of deaf and hearing teachers

The study examined the views of deaf and hard of hearing secondary-level students when asked about their preferences for deaf vs. hearing teachers. It also compared elementary- and secondary-level students' achievement scores based on the hearing status of their teachers. Deaf and hard of hearing secondary-level students showed greater preference for deaf teachers, with deaf students showing greater preference for deaf teachers than hard of hearing students did. No significant differences were found in the achievement levels of students based on differences in teacher hearing status. The study supports the limited research done in the past.     

Numerical Estimation in Deaf and Hearing Adults

Deaf students often lag behind hearing peers in numerical and mathematical abilities. Studies of hearing children with mathematical difficulties highlight the importance of estimation skills as the foundation for formal mathematical abilities, but research with adults is limited. Deaf and hearing college students were assessed on the Number-to-Position task as a measure of estimation, and completed standardised assessments of arithmetical and mathematical reasoning. Deaf students performed significantly more poorly on all measures, including making less accurate number-line estimates. For deaf students, there was also a strong relationship showing that those more accurate in making number-line estimates achieved higher scores on the math achievement tests. No such relationship was apparent for hearing students. Further insights into the estimation abilities of deaf individuals should be made, including tasks that require symbolic and non-symbolic estimation and which address the quality of estimation strategies being used.     

Does teaching style explain differences in learner achievement in low and high performing schools in Kenya?

Quality of instructional delivery is an important determinant of the extent to which the teaching process has an impact on learning achievement. The literature identifies many contributors of learning achievement including teacher, curricula, teaching, student, home and school environments. On an ‘education production function’ approach, achievement may be modelled as an outcome determined by school and classroom based inputs. The processes of achievement determination are typically assumed, in the absence of detailed information about actual classroom practices. In Kenya, primary schools continue to report differentials in performance on standardized tests even when policy implementers distribute teachers normally to these schools. Such differences in academic performance have been reported even among schools within the same neighbourhood. Schools from the same neighbourhood draw students with similar backgrounds and expose them to teachers who have gone through the same training. This paper hypothesizes that teaching style plays a key role in explaining the differences in academic performance among students between primary schools. Using data from 72 math lessons that were filmed in 72 primary schools in Kenya, the authors demonstrate the extent to which teaching practice explains differences in performance among students and schools. While controlling for individual and school based factors, the paper uses mixed methods to analyse the linkages between teaching practices and learning achievement. The main research finding and policy implication is that students learning achievement can be improved through quality teaching, even when other conditions such as class size are not conducive.     

A "consumer" survey of educational provision for deaf and hard of hearing students

The researchers report the results of a survey of 140 deaf and hard of hearing students attending integrated or self-contained high school classrooms in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The survey was designed to gather information about educational experiences and preferences for various types of educational placements. There were no gender differences in placement, but there were hearing status differences (81.6% of the students in segregated placements had severe or profound hearing losses, compared to 52.4% of the students in integrated settings). Even though students were aware of the advantages and disadvantages of the different placement options, 80% indicated that they were generally satisfied with their current placement. One implication is that a range of options seems to be more appropriate than a one-size-fits-all model, at least from students' perspectives. The views and preferences of students should be considered when educational provisions are designed for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.     

The Stanford Achievement Test, 9th Edition: National Norming and Performance Standards for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students

This article presents a rich context of information for interpreting Stanford Achievement Test scores and for describing the achievement of deaf and hard-of-hearing students. The publisher's national norming of the Stanford Achievement Test provides a context of actual performance of hearing students. The publisher's Performance Standards provide a context of expectations for hearing students as determined by a panel of experts. The Gallaudet Research Institute's norming of the test on a national sample of deaf and hard-of-hearing students provides a context of test performance by this special population. A smaller subsample of the deaf and hard-of-hearing students who take the same test levels as hearing students provides an additional reference group with respect to the Performance Standards. Information from these sources is brought together into two graphical contexts to address these questions: Can the normative data from the publisher's national standardization of the test with hearing students, and the normative data from the GRI's national norming of the test with deaf and hard-of-hearing students provide a useful context for the interpretation of individual test scores? Can they provide a useful way to examine achievement of groups of students? Can the new Performance Standards defined by the test publisher offer a useful context for test score interpretation for high-achieving deaf and hard-of-hearing students?     

The relationship between reading achievement and morphological word analysis in deaf and hearing students matched for reading level

This study extends the findings of Gaustad, Kelly, Payne, and Lylak (2002), which showed that deaf college students and hearing middle school students appeared to have approximately the same morphological knowledge and word segmentation skills. Because the average grade level reading abilities for the two groups of students were also similar, those research findings suggested that deaf students' morphological development was progressing as might be expected relative to reading level. This study further examined the specific relationship between morphologically based word identification skills and reading achievement levels, as well as differences in the error patterns of deaf and hearing readers. Comparison of performance between pairs of deaf college students and hearing middle school students matched for reading achievement level shows significant superiority of younger hearing participants for skills relating especially to the meaning of derivational morphemes and roots, and the segmentation of words containing multiple types of morphemes. Group subtest comparisons and item analysis comparisons of specific morpheme knowledge and word segmentation show clear differences in the morphographic skills of hearing middle school readers over deaf college students, even though they were matched and appear to read at the same grade levels, as measured by standardized tests.     

Suggestions for preparing itinerant teachers: a qualitative analysis

Increasing numbers of students who are deaf or hard of hearing receive educational services in general education classrooms. This placement shift has altered the way teachers of students who are deaf or hard of hearing work, causing an increase in the number of itinerant teachers. As placement trends for students who are deaf or hard of hearing and teachers' job responsibilities have changed, the field of deaf education has only slightly modified professional standards for licensed teachers of students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Most teacher preparation programs continue training preservice teachers to work in self-contained classrooms, leaving itinerant teachers feeling underprepared. Interviews were conducted with 25 experienced itinerant teachers to determine which content and experiences should be included in preparation programs for preservice teachers of students who are deaf or hard of hearing who plan to become itinerant teachers. Results indicate that changes in course work and practical are necessary to best prepare these teachers.     

成就目标定向对听障学生学习投入的影响机制研究

以456名3-9年级听障学生为被试,采用问卷调查法考察了听障学生学习投入现状以及学习投入与成就目标定向、学业自我效能感之间的关系.结果发现,绝大多数听障学生学习投入状况较好;学业自我效能感在成绩趋近目标和学习投入关系之间发挥完全中介作用,在掌握回避目标和学习投入关系之间发挥部分中介作用,在成绩回避目标和学习投入关系之间...     

Coteaching deaf and hearing students: research on social integration

Coteaching, also known as team teaching, offers an alternative to the dilemma of choosing between the residential school, which offers a deaf community but sometimes a poor record of achievement, and inclusion, which promises better achievement but results in increased social isolation. Under a coteaching arrangement, deaf or hard of hearing students can share a deaf peer group while being exposed to the social contact and academic requirements of a mainstream class. The study sample consists of the deaf or hard of hearing students at one elementary school on the West Coast with extensive experience with coteaching, plus a random selection of their hearing peers. Students were administered the Piers Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale (Franklin, 1981), My Class Inventory (Fisher & Barry, 1985), and the Childhood Loneliness Scale (Asher, Hymel, & Renshaw, 1984). Consistent results indicated that while age differences appeared, there were no negative social consequences of coteaching for deaf students. The study indicates that on the basis of social benefits, coteaching warrants further systematic research.     

Teachers working with interpreters. The deaf student's educational experience

The purpose of this study was to explore the quality of the educational experience of deaf students when they communicate with hearing teachers through interpreters and to determine the implications of that experience for the students' classroom behavior. Qualitative methods were used to collect data from the academic staff and the 28 profoundly to severely deaf adolescents who participated in four-week experientially based workshops in marine science in the summers of 1988 and 1989. Three salient issues emerged: the teacher's knowledge of deafness, the role of the interpreter, and behavior management. Several of the issues that emerged support previous research, such as physical arrangement of students in the classroom, use of notetakers, student attention span, quality of interpreting, and a tendency toward lenient discipline standards. The implications of the study are discussed in terms of teachers and interpreters working together to improve the deaf adolescent's educational experience.