ASHA Learning Pass

This session highlights recent advances in understanding language acquisition in children who are deaf/hard of hearing (DHH), with an emphasis on the acquisition of sign languages (either on their own or alongside spoken languages). Conceptual advances include: (1) a more accurate way of thinking about “average range” when interpreting research data and (2) the development of “language access profiles” as an alternative to “communication mode.” Speakers present advances in measurement, by introducing three new tools that are available for clinical use: the D-LEAT, the LAPT, and the ASL-CDI 2.0. The session concludes by highlighting recent empirical discoveries about the relationship between the timing of American Sign Language (ASL) access, the amount of ASL input, and the trajectory of ASL vocabulary acquisition in DHH children from hearing families.

This course is a recorded session from the 2021 ASHA Convention Virtual Library (session 2225V). It was developed by, and presenters were invited by, Listening, Language and Speech in Children Who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

Content disclosure: This session covers a broad spectrum of recent research results about early language experiences and language acquisition in young deaf/hard of hearing children, including descriptions of three tools for measuring language experience and language background: D-LEAT, LAPT, and ASL-CDI 2.0.

Learning Outcomes
You will be able to:

• Identify conceptual problems that have been barriers to understanding language acquisition in DHH children
• Describe new tools that clinicians can use to address those limitations
• Summarize the findings of recent studies that have used those tools

Presenter Information

Stephanie De Anda, PhD, CCC-SLP (Non-Presenting Author), is an Assistant Professor in CDS at University of Oregon and a certified speech-language pathologist. Her research interests include language acquisition in typically and atypically developing English- and Spanish-speaking monolingual and bilingual children. As a Spanish-speaking Latina scholar and SLP, Stephanie researches the early language development trajectories of Latino children with extensions to other underserved communities. She has expertise in several measures of language acquisition in children from birth to 5.

Financial Disclosures:

• ASHA Convention registration fees were waived

Nonfinancial Disclosures:

• No nonfinancial relationships relevant to the content of the session

Naomi Caselli, PhD (Presenting Author), is an Assistant Professor in the Programs in Deaf Studies at the Wheelock College of Education and Human Development at Boston University. She is the PI on several NIH- and NSF-funded grants examining vocabulary acquisition in ASL, and how early language experience affects how people learn and process ASL signs. She is hearing and a native speaker of both ASL and English.

Financial Disclosures:

• Grant funding from NIH and NSF

Nonfinancial Disclosures:

• No nonfinancial relationships relevant to the content of the session

Assessment Type

Self-assessment—Think about what you learned and report on the Completion Form how you will use your new knowledge.

To earn continuing education credit, you must complete the learning assessment by October 27, 2027.

Program History and CE Information

Content origination date: November 2021
End date: October 27, 2027

This course is offered for 0.1 ASHA CEUs (Intermediate level, Professional area).