LOGO: A Powerful Learning Environment for Hearing-Impaired Children

The potential of microcomputers to influence the education of hearing-impaired children is best realized when children control the computer rather than being controlled by it. Interacting with a microcomputer that “speaks” LOGO places children in a learning and problem-solving environment that is under their control. Children can determine a problem to be solved, set about formulating a solution, try it out, and make changes as needed. The answer stimulates additional questions or may serve as part of the answer to a more complex question. This process, called problem definition, programming, editing, and debugging, is a reality for 14 hearing-impaired children aged 8 to 13 years at Tucker-Maxon.

Since September 1982 these students have acquired the skills and knowledge that make them computer programmers in the true sense of the word. That is, they are learning to use the computer as a powerful tool to find answers to complex questions. Some questions our children are asking and answering are “How do I teach the computer to draw a square?” “How much do I tell the computer to turn if I want to make a circle?” “How can I get the computer to draw lots of circles without typing so much?” “Can I use ‘square’ and ‘triangle’ to make a house?” In addition to developing problem-solving abilities, the children’s experience with LOGO is fostering peer interaction and providing opportunities for aesthetic expression. This presentation will outline the instructional process that has introduced these children to LOGO and present examples of child-generated programs.