Parents' perceptions on the quality of information given by professionals regarding their deaf children

Many deaf children have delayed language development that would greatly affect their future academic success (Marschark, Lang, & Albertini, 2002). Information given by professionals to parents could be a significant factor in overcoming this delay. To assess the quality of this information six parents of deaf children in the Rochester NY area, three deaf parents and three hearing parents were selected to participate in an interview and survey. After the data was examined, it was found that the majority of the parents in this study felt that the information they received from professionals concerning their child's language development was adequate but could use further improvements. These parents posted suggestions on possible ways that might help make the experience of working with professionals easier. More widespread research needs to be done on this topic, and possibly a guideline for professionals on how to work with parents of deaf children could be developed. Hopefully, this would help parents make easier and better decisions, which could ensure a more successful future for the deaf child. Parents' Perceptions 4 Introduction Many deaf children have challenges due to a delay in language development (Moores & Meadows-Orlands, 1990). Hearing children start to acquire language from the day they are born because they have full access to a spoken language, since they are able to receive the language through audition. Deaf children of deaf parents share a similar experience with hearing children because those deaf children receive full access to a visual language, American Sign Language, that is the primary language of their parents and the Deaf community (Marschark, Lang, & Albertini, 2002). However, ninety percent of deaf children are born to hearing parents (Center for Demographic Studies, 1984). Those deaf children face a language development challenge because they are not exposed to a fully accessible language similar to deaf children with deaf parents, and hearing children with hearing parents. A significant factor that causes deaf children to have delayed language development is the lack of a regular communication system between children and their parents. Learning a language after the "critical period of language development" has a big impact on a child's success in school, and may therefore be indicated in these statistics: "on average, 18year-old deaf students leaving high school have reached only a fourth to sixth grade level in reading skills" (Marschark, Lang, & Albertini, p. 157). It is understandable that parents of deaf children experience some mental anguish when they discover deafhess in their children and need time to process this. The goal of this research project was to examine parents' perceptions of the adequacy of information that professionals give regarding factors related to deaf child's language development. It was based on the research conducted by C. Jonah Eleweke and Parents' Perceptions 5 Michael Rodda (2000). In addition, comparisons concerning information given to hearing parents and deaf parents of deaf children will be analyzed. It is very important for parents of deaf children to receive unbiased and complete information from professionals so that they can make educated decisions regarding their children. Literature Review This literature review will discuss various factors that influence the success of language skills in deaf children. First of all, factors that influence parents in choosing a communication mode to use with deaf children will be discussed. It is very important for deaf children to receive early intervention in order for them to have access to language as soon as possible. Secondly, the age at which deaf children are fust exposed to a language affects their vocabulary ability. Also, there's an age effect related to neurolinguistic development in deaf children. Thirdly, sign language intervention is very beneficial to the deaf child and the family. Lastly, the relationship between the parents' ability to communicate with deaf children and those deaf children's self-esteem will be discussed. Mode of Communication C. Jonah Eleweke and Michael Rodda (2000) conducted a study to examine factors that influence parents' decisions to choose a particular mode of communication with their deaf children through interviews with two different families in England. Those deciding factors included information provided by professionals (e.g., teachers of the deaf and audiologists) attitudes of those professionals, knowledge of assistive technology, and how well support services were provided for those deaf children. The two families with Parents' Perceptions 6 preschool-aged children with hearing loss who were attending the audiological clinic shared similar experiences. The professionals these parents interacted with were shown to have given very limited information concerning available communication modes and were not willing to share information regarding all communication options. The professionals were giving advice based on their own philosophies and attitudes. For an example, one family was not informed on communication alternatives because of the philosophy of the head of the department and hisher policy, which emphasized oralism. In addition, the parents sometimes were given false hope concerning how assistive technology could help their children develop their residual hearing and speaking skills. Neither of the parents believed their deaf child benefited from the use of hearing aides. Professionals sometimes recommended support services such as those provided by counselors and speech pathologists that the parents' felt were not beneficial nor appropriate for the child's language needs. The researchers believed that parents should have received more accurate information about different communication options, and that professionals should have informed parents about which assistive technology could or could not work for their deaf children. Information parents receive from professionals has a direct influence on their choice of communication with their children to use at home (Eleweke & Rodda, 2000). In turn, that has a big impact on children's language development since communication at home can help or hinder the acquisition of language skills needed for the future. Besides getting unbiased information from professionals, it is very important for parents and their deaf children to have an early systematic intervention to strengthen their home communication system (Greenberg, Calderon, & Kusche, 1984). Systematic Parents' Perceptions 7 intervention can mean that parents have regular teacher visits or attend counseling on a regular basis. In addition, parents may need to receive sign language lessons. In the Greenberg, Calderon, and Kusche study, which consisted of data from 24 families, it was discovered that deaf children in systematic intervention programs used more vocabulary and had a higher communicative competence rating than those who did not have any systematic intervention. That study showed that an early systematic intervention program helped parents leam how to communicate with their deaf children more effectively. This is very positive because a home communication system is the key to vocabulary growth and early language skills. Even though it is often very difficult for parents to make decisions related to education and communication due to biased information, finding the right mode of communication to meet the individual needs of the deaf child is crucial. Also, it is extremely important for the deaf child to have a support system at home that includes using efficient communication. Both of these factors are essential for the future academic and linguistic success of deaf children. In many cases, manual communicationfsign language may be most effective for complete language development in deaf children. It is extremely important for deaf children to be exposed to signs at an early age because due to hearing loss. Those children would be able to process "visible" signs without difficulty. Several studies show that signs help deaf children acquire better language skills. In the Notoya, Suzuki, and Furukawa study (1994), deaf children who were exposed to signs while they were infants produced sign communication that was equivalent to spoken communication production in hearing children at the same age. Oral communication tends to be delayed when deaf Parents' Perceptions 8 children are one or two years old but signs help them to "catch up" with the spoken production in hearing children. In a similar study Norden stated, "that the use of signs in total communication has a beneficial effect on the general adjustment of the children. It also accelerates language development and does not impede the use of speech" (p. 407). Some parents think that the use of sign language will hinder a child's speech skills, which actually is a myth. Another study showed that young profoundly deaf children who were instructed in total communication scored higher on the Verbal, Quantitative, General Cognitive, and Memory Scales than those of the auditoryloral group according to the McCarthy Scales (Weiner, 1980). Laura Goppold's review of various studies (1988) indicated that, ". manual communication is more effective than oral communication in the area of language development. Of the 12 investigations described, nine favor total communication/early intervention before the age of 2" (p. 287). In conclusion, those studies showed that signs were very beneficial for deaf children regarding their language development. Unfortunately, there were concerns that parents often receive biased information concerning manual communication including American Sign Language as a possible mode of communication. EfJects of Age Research has shown that early identification of hearing loss and intervention has a significant effect on deaf children's expressive vocabulary development. Mayne (1998) con