Interactive Media to Support Language Acquisition for Deaf Students

Vol. 5 No. 1

Year: 2009

Issue: Jun-Aug

Title: Interactive Media to Support Language Acquisition for Deaf Students 

Author Name: Dr. Becky Sue Parton, Dr. Robert Hancock , MindyCrain-Dorough , Jeff Oescher 

Synopsis: 

Tangible computing combines digital feedback with physical interactions - an important link for young children.  Through the use of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology, a real-world object (i.e. a chair) or a symbolic toy (i.e. a stuffed bear) can be tagged so that students can activate multimedia learning modules automatically.  The authors developed a prototype called LAMBERT (Language Acquisition Manipulatives Blending Early-childhood Research and Technology).  It is designed specifically for Deaf children who often need additional exposure to language since the majority of their parents are hearing and not fluent in American Sign Language (ASL).  When a child scans a toy, a 15 second multimedia presentation is played that depicts the word in ASL and shows related images.  After an initial positive pilot study to test feasibility, the system was integrated into the early childhood curriculum at the Louisiana School for the Deaf for four weeks.  Twenty four vocabulary words were taught; half of the words were targeted for supplemental instruction through the LAMBERT system.  At the end of the unit, students’ vocabulary comprehension was tested. This paper discusses the results of the study and implications for easily-accessed multimedia for young children.