Language Therapy in British Sign Language
Condition: Language Difficulties in British Sign Language
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      In the United Kingdom, the language of the Deaf community is British Sign Language (BSL). A
      small proportion of Deaf young people who use BSL as their first or dominant language have
      specific language difficulties and would benefit from language therapy provided in sign
      language by adults who are fluent in BSL and may be Deaf. Some Deaf adults are currently
      employed in education and health services to support children's BSL development. However
      there is little training or information available to these adults about language assessment,
      diagnosis of language difficulties or intervention strategies.

      Recent studies have highlighted language difficulties and therapy in sign as an issues and
      begun to explore Deaf adults understanding of language difficulties and disorder. This
      project aims to extend knowledge in this area by supporting Deaf practitioners to understand
      and develop language therapy skills and co-develop language therapy intervention resources.
      The study will pilot training for practitioners and language therapy interventions for young
      people.
    

Detailed description: 
      The study will be in three phases. The design has been discussed at regular Language Working
      Group Meetings with Deaf practitioner colleagues who may want to volunteer to be involved in
      the project.

      In Phase 1, information will be sought from Deaf practitioners in focus groups and from
      questionnaires about the strategies and resources they currently employ when working with
      Deaf young people with language difficulties. This information will be compared to evidence
      based models of therapy for spoken English to see whether similar themes emerge. The findings
      will also be used to identify themes for other strategies and resources Deaf practitioners
      use which are not present in spoken English language therapy. The data gathered will be
      included in planning the next phase of the project. Scenarios and questions similar to those
      planned for the focus group and questionnaire have been trialed at Service training days and
      feedback has been gathered from staff involved.

      Phase 2 will involve working with Deaf practitioners to develop and define strategies and
      resources for language therapy in BSL. These will be with a small group of three or four Deaf
      practitioners. Dynamic assessment and mediated learning principles will be used to identify
      key skills and resources for Deaf practitioners in providing language therapy.

      This process, including pre and post involvement questionnaires, will use video observation
      and reflective practise tools. Analysis of a language therapy intervention session by a Deaf
      practitioner will provide a snapshot or 'assessment' of their initial skills and knowledge.
      Then, over a period of six sessions, videos of the Deaf practitioner working with a young
      person on language activities will be jointly analysed and reflected upon to identify
      strategies and resources that are or would be useful in this working context. This joint
      analysis between the researcher, a qualified Speech and Language Therapist, and the Deaf
      practitioner will provided teaching, learning and reflection opportunities. Finally the video
      analysis by the Deaf practitioner, without reflection with the researcher, will be repeated
      to give a second 'assessment' of the Deaf practitioner's skills and knowledge. The Deaf
      practitioner will be asked to give feedback on this process, identifying helpful strategies
      discussed, issues with the process and information they feel would be useful to other Deaf
      practitioners completing similar work with young people. Deaf practitioners will work with
      deaf young people who are currently on their clinical caseload and have previously been
      identified as having language difficulties. These young people and their families will be
      informed about the project and, if they consent to participate, will participate in the six
      sessions led by the Deaf practitioner.

      The information gained from this process will identify useful strategies and resources.
      Validation will be sought by comparing evidence based language therapy strategies and
      resources from spoken English with those identified by Deaf practitioners in Phase 1 and
      those found to be useful by Deaf practitioners in Phase 2. These will be used to develop a
      training package containing strategies, resources and guiding principles for Deaf
      practitioners using BSL for language therapy delivery.

      In phase 3, single case studies will be undertaken. These will include training other Deaf
      practitioners to use strategies and resources with Deaf young people. Qualitative information
      from Deaf practitioners and young people, as well as quantitative information from pre and
      post intervention language assessments and sample video clips, will be analysed to ascertain
      whether the training in strategies and resources enables Deaf practitioners to use identified
      intervention strategies and develop the language skills of Deaf young people. The qualitative
      data will be gathered through the use of reflective logs and questionnaires. The quantitative
      data will be gathered through the use of structured language assessment activities. Young
      people and their parents will also provide qualitative information about the process through
      questionnaires or interviews, depending on their communication mode (English, another spoken
      language or BSL) and their preference.
    

Intervention name(s): Language Therapy
Intervention type(s): Other
Intervention model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)