Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Department

Biology

Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

Most parents of d/Deaf/Hoh children are not Deaf, making it imperative for easy access to diverse strategies to ensure smooth communication between them and their child. Parents make the paramount decision of what their child’s first language should be, therefore, access to current information on communication strategies is crucial in this journey. Many families fall on resources sometimes from sources in different formats to understand what may work best for them. The accessibility and availability of these resources are a crucial component in the parent’s decision-making process. Due to the unique dynamics between hearing parents and d/Deaf/Hoh children, this pilot study attempts to identify resource availability, impact of available resources, and communication methods used in the d/Deaf/Hoh community in Kentucky and Tennessee. A survey was developed and distributed with the purpose of understanding the present circumstances for hearing parents and their d/Deaf/Hoh children. Information about early intervention services was found to be the most accessible with 80% of participants reporting availability. Social media and websites were the most common forms of information, while specialists/clinical professionals were the most reported sources of information. Results also showed that 56% of respondents utilized either Sign alone (American Sign Language) or Total communication with their d/Deaf/Hoh child. Only 61% of participants agreed that resources were accessible, indicating that focus is still needed on d/Deaf/Hoh resources in Kentucky and Tennessee.

Advisor(s) or Committee Chair

Grace Lartey, Ph.D.

Disciplines

Communication Sciences and Disorders | Other Languages, Societies, and Cultures | Public Health

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