Support Services Handout Series
Number 4010 Communication Sheet
Communication Choices With Deaf And Hard Of Hearing Children

Timely development of language and communication is integral to a child's social, emotional, and cognitive development. To acquire a language, however, a child must have access to that language. When a child is deaf or hard of hearing, for a variety of reasons they may not have full access to spoken language. It is therefore necessary for families to determine if their child can have the potential for full access to spoken language, or if a visual language would better meet the child's language development needs.

The goal for each deaf or hard of hearing child is to acquire a solid base of language as early as possible, so development in all other areas will proceed on target. Decisions must be made as early in the child's life as possible regarding how to best assure a child full access to language so that the critical years for developing language are best utilized. If language development can proceed on target, deaf and hard of hearing children, in the absence of other challenges, have the potential to follow the same sequence and rate of development in other areas as children who can hear.

For a child who is deaf or hard of hearing, how to best provide optimal access to language and communication has historically been a controversial issue. Beliefs vary regarding which methods will furnish a deaf child with the most complete access to language for learning and for communication. Some of the methodology options related to developing language and communication include but are not limited to the Oral Approach, Bilingual Approach, Cued Speech, and Total Communication. A description of these approaches and the issues surrounding them are described below.

Bilingual Approach

What is involved

American Sign Language (ASL) is a visual gestural language with it's own grammar and syntax. ASL is different from signing English. Fingerspelling (use of a manual alphabet to spell words) is actively integrated into ASL for proper names and other terms for which there are no generally accepted signs. A bilingual approach supports development of American Sign Language as a child's first language, with development of English as a second language through reading, writing, and spoken language (specific to each child's potential and needs). Exposure to ongoing fluent ASL models are considered integral to the success of this approach.

What supporters believe

Supporters of this approach believe that visual language development is crucial to a deaf child's linguistic, cognitive, social and emotional growth. This approach supports American Sign Language as a valid and valuable language that has proven successful for developing an avenue for communication, life success, and literacy development for many Deaf individuals. This approach supports the belief that a child can most easily learn language visually through ASL, and then use ASL to help learn English. Supporters of this approach understand the wide variety of potential deaf children have regarding auditory and speech skill development and believe that development of auditory and speech skills will hold a different level of importance for each child and family. With careful planning, auditory and speech skill development can still be addressed at an early age when visual language is emerging.

Concerns

While the bilingual approach is gaining support as a valid approach for addressing the needs of many deaf children there continue to be many questions about it's use. There are questions about how a child makes the transition from use of ASL as the first language to English as a second language through reading and writing. There are also many questions related to how to address auditory and speech development within the context of this approach. There is sometimes concern on the part of hearing parents and hearing professionals that a bilingual approach may not provide the child with the necessary communication skills to integrate into the 'hearing' world. Another concern is that an environment to promote successful implementation of this approach (exposure to Deaf peers, Deaf role models, and ASL language models) may not be readily available in many schools.

Total Communication Approach

What is involved

Use of all modes of communication- sign language (ASL or manually coded English), spoken language, mime, facial expression, gestures, etc... to facilitate language development and communication. The intention of this methodology is to provide a child with any modality necessary to support the child in developing language. It's intention is not that all modalities be equally weighted and utilized for all children. The most common embodiment of Total Communication, however, has become Simultaneous Communication. Simultaneous Communication is the use of the spoken word simultaneous with the signed version of all or part of the spoken utterance. The signs used are usually an attempt to match the spoken message.

What supporters believe

Supporters believe that use of Total Communication will provide a child with access to a visual language base and at the same time encourage development and use of spoken language. It is believed that if a child is provided with access to all communication modes that language and communication skills will develop and positive social-emotional development will be promoted.

Concerns

There are numerous concerns related to Total Communication (TC). Evidence suggests that use of all communication modes as proposed by a TC approach does not necessarily guarantee development of either a full spoken language or a full visual sign language. In terms of developing a language through signing, children may be exposed to varying signing systems in various programs. There is not one unified signing system used in each TC program. Some TC programs incorporate ASL, however, teacher fluency issues are of concern in many programs. Children in TC programs are often exposed to a telegraphic version of English and an incomplete version of American Sign Language. In terms of developing spoken language, many TC programs appear lacking in the structure needed to succeed in bringing functional spoken language communication to children.

A major concern in relation to TC programs is the evolution of Total Communication to be interpreted as Simultaneous Communication. When a child is provided with language that is spoken and signed at the same time, there is concern that clear communication suffers. The signed component of the message may contain inaccurate or incomplete information and the spoken component of the message may be altered. This may cause difficulty for children in developing a solid language base in either American Sign Language or English (signed or spoken).

Cued Speech

What is involved

Cued Speech is a system utilized to assist in clarifying speechreading information for a child. Hand based cues are provided to help a child differentiate the various phonemes of speech that look similar on the lips. The system includes eight handshapes representing groups of consonant sounds and four locations of the handshapes near the face, each representing a group of vowels sounds. A combination of these hand configurations are coordinated with the natural movements of speech. This system reportedly can be learned in a short time (about 20 hours of direct instruction) and proficiency can be gained in 6 months to a year.

What supporters believe

Supporters of this approach believe that use of cued speech will provide the necessary visual support for a child to have access to spoken language. Supporters believe that children using this approach will develop reading and writing skills comparable to hearing peers and develop the communication skills necessary to integrate into hearing society. Some supporters of this approach are looking at how use of this system can be employed with children using ASL to help these students transition from development of ASL as a first language to English as a second language.

Concerns

Cued speech was developed as a system to assist a child receptively in obtaining spoken language. It does not necessarily help a child develop expressive communication skills. Children who use cued speech may or may not develop effective spoken language communication. Person's who use cued speech are limited to communication interactions with other cuers and cued speech transliterators. This pool of cued speech users may be limited.

Oral Approach

What is involved

This approach supports development of spoken language through use of a child's residual hearing. Appropriate, consistently functioning hearing aids or other listening technology is integral to the success of this approach. Using this approach the child is also trained to obtain as much information as possible from speechreading. Speechreading is the ability to watch the lips and face of a speaker to obtain information.

What Supporters Believe

Supporters of this approach believe that vocal communication is the predominant medium in the world for social exchange and for maximum development of literacy. It is believed that provided with state of the art technology and an appropriate learning environment, that deaf children, regardless of their hearing level can have access to spoken language for successful development of language and communication skills.

Concerns

Historically there has been a notable lack of success bringing spoken language to profoundly deaf individuals. The use of the oral approach makes everyday life and communication a struggle for many deaf children and may suppress the identity of the child as the attempt is made to normalize the child to hearing standards. While there are some children with sufficient residual hearing to learn spoken language using this approach, there is concern that a large number of deaf children will not have the potential for full access to Spoken English, making the learning of English difficult, if not impossible. There is fear that when only spoken language is utilized in the early years, that a child may develop the ability to say a few words, but may not develop a full language. These children may develop some ability to speak, yet they do not have a language for communicating. Subsequently they may be delayed in areas of learning and social-emotional development. This delay in establishing a solid early language base may then set up the child for a pattern of failure.

For children who do not succeed using an oral approach, sign language is often seen as a 'last resort'. There is concern, however, that if sign language is initiated past the critical years for a child's language development, that development of sign language as a full language will be a more difficult challenge for the child.

In summary:

As you plan for a child in your class who is deaf or hard of hearing, it is crucial to be aware of the language and communication competency the child brings to the classroom. It is important to assure that the child continues to have complete access to language for continued language and cognitive development as well as for access to all educational information and social interactions.

Developed by: Debra Nussbaum, Audiologist, Kendall Demonstration Elementary School.

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