American Sign Language and Deaf Studies

Bilingual Deaf and Hearing Families: Narrative Interviews describes the experiences of ten families who have at least one deaf family member, such as the hearing parents with a deaf child; children with cochlear implants; both deaf parents and children; deaf parents and their hearing daughter. The interviews were conducted in the families' homes using set topics and questions. The family discussions cover a wide range of subjects: cochlear implants, where they live, their thoughts about family relationships, how they participate in the Deaf community, how they arrive at certain decisions, their children's friendships, and the goals and resiliencies they have as a family.

The term deaf often sparks heated debates about authority and authenticity. The concept of Deaf identity and affiliation with the Deaf World are constantly negotiated social constructions that rely heavily on the use of American Sign Language. However, given the incredible diversity of Deaf people, these constructions vary widely. From Deaf people born into culturally Deaf families and who have used ASL since birth, to those born into hearing families and for whom ASL is a secondary language (if they use it at all), to hearing children of Deaf adults whose first language is ASL, and beyond, the criteria for membership in the Deaf community is based on a variety of factors and perspectives. Bryan K. Eldredge seeks to more precisely understand the relationship between ASL use and Deaf identity using the tools of linguistic anthropology.

This collection presents 14 essays by renowned scholars on Deaf people, Deafhood, Deaf histories, and Deaf identity, but from different points of view on the Deaf/Disability compass. The first, Identities and Locations, explores Deaf identity in different contexts. Alliances and Activism showcases activism organized across differences. The third theme, Boundaries and Overlaps, explicitly addresses the relationships between Deaf Studies and Disability Studies. Interviews with scholars from both disciplines help define these relationships. Deaf and Disability Studies: Interdisciplinary Perspectives reveals that different questions often lead to contrary conclusions among their authors, who still recognize that they all have a stake in this partnership.

In this volume, Stephanie W. Cawthon and Carrie Lou Garberoglio discuss the individual and systemic factors that both facilitate and inhibit the attainment of postsecondary education, training, and career goals for deaf individuals. Real-life examples and current research are combined in this consideration of the interactions between individuals and the many layers of the overall system in which they navigate. In addition to using a systems theory approach, the authors employ resiliency models that emphasize how deaf individuals persist through the transition process amidst the barriers that reside within larger educational and social systems. Employment, independent living, and community involvement are a few of the postsecondary outcomes that are covered. Shifting the Dialog, Shifting the Culture addresses critical issues that influence how deaf individuals reach their postsecondary goals and is designed for a diverse audience that includes professionals who work (or are training to work) with deaf individuals, policy makers, as well as federal and state personnel.

In a diverse signing community, it is not unusual to encounter a wide variety of expression in the types of signs used by different people. Perceptions of signing proficiency often vary within the community, however. Conventional wisdom intimates that those who learned at an early age at home or in school know true standard American Sign Language, while those who learned ASL later in life or use contact or coded signs are considered to be less skillful. Joseph Christopher Hill's new study Language Attitudes in the American Deaf Community explores the linguistic and social factors that govern such stereotypical perceptions of social groups about signing differences. Hill's analysis focuses on affective, cognitive, and behavioral types of evaluative responses toward particular language varieties, such as ASL, contact signing, and Signed English. His work takes into account the perceptions of these signing types among the social groups of the American Deaf community that vary based on generation, age of acquisition, and race. He also gauges the effects of social information on these perceptions and the evaluations and descriptions of signing that results from their different concepts of a signing standard.

Dedicated to quality in education & related services for deaf & hard of hearing children & adults.
Full Text: 07/01/1996 to present

Integrates & coordinates basic & applied research relating to individuals who are deaf, including cultural, developmental, linguistic, & educational topics.
Full Text: 01/01/1996 to present (with a 12 Month delay)
*Full text delay due to publisher restrictions ("embargo")

Founded by William C. Stokoe, known by many as the father of the linguistics of American Sign Language, this quarterly journal presents a singular forum for groundbreaking research on the language, culture, history, and literature of signing communities and signed languages. The first journal published in the field, SLS continues to offer fresh content with a uniquely international, multidisciplinary focus.
Full Text: 10/01/2000 to present

Provides a forum for scholarly papers relevant to the education of deaf infants, children & young people. Original research on linguistic, educational, social & cognitive development, & on sign language, deaf culture & traditions, & more.
Full Text: 06/01/2004 to present (with a 12 Month delay)
*Full text delay due to publisher restrictions ("embargo")