Social interactions in relation to bilingual development of deaf children learning signed and spoken languages in an inclusive setting

Deaf children in the Maritimes are educated in an inclusive educational system designed for hearing students, supported through the services of interpreters. Typically, these students receive limited exposure to skilled signers due to their lack of daily contact with the Deaf community and the fact that the interpreters and parents whose signing they are exposed to on a daily basis are rarely native signers. They also receive drastically reduced exposure to the spoken language surrounding them due to their hearing loss and the severe limitations of learning English through speech reading. Consequently, these children experience delayed acquisition of both signed and spoken languages. Along with reduced levels of language input and learning comes a reduction in access to information and meaningful interactions with peers, which are crucial for appropriate social and cognitive development. In this study, I will assess the American Sign Language and English abilities of deaf children in the Maritimes and look for connections between their language abilities and their meaningful social interactions. I predict that lower language abilities will correspond with less frequent and complex social interactions of deaf students with deaf and hearing same-age peers, compared to hearing children and youth. Results from this study will inform parents of deaf children and professionals working with deaf children and youth by preparing an information pamphlet and a Youtube video in ASL with English voice-over for public distribution. This will assist in providing appropriate language interventions and social opportunities for deaf youth as they develop towards becoming cognitively healthy and productive members of society.