Abstract

This study documented the changes in spoken and signed input of five hearing parents to their hearing-impaired children over a 12-month time period. Two baseline sessions per parent were videotaped and analyzed (Moeller & Luetke-Stahlman, 1990), and then two intervention sessions and one retention session were filmed. Parents were seen individually by one author of this study after each session and given feedback on specific characteristics of their communication abilities. Transcription sheets, graphs, and their child's IEP (Individual Educational Plan) objectives were used to help parents target goals for improvement.

All parents improved in at least one linguistic area of need, and several parents changed impressively in form, content, and use of Manually Coded English. These improvements allowed the parents to completely and consistently provide comprehensible messages to their children.

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