Jill Duncan

Parental Readiness for Cochlear Implant Decision-Making

Abstract This paper reviews the sparse literature on parental readiness for cochlear implant decision-making. It urges professionals to be cautious when engaging parents in the process and emphasizes the need for professionals to have appropriate training in counselling and parent education. It highlights a range of beliefs and feelings that parents may experience when faced with decision-making; draws attention to possible parent, professional and agency discrepancies in beliefs; and brings to light two common decisionmaking processes used by families of children with a disability. It concludes with recommendations for improving practice and a call for action. Copyright

Online Social Participation, Social Capital and Literacy of Adolescents with Hearing Loss: A Pilot Study

Abstract The internet and social media have fast become an everyday aspect of adolescents’ lives. Online participation may increase social capital and be particularly beneficial for individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing (DHH), as it provides an alternative method to communicate, interact with others and access information. However, reduced levels of literacy may be a barrier to participate and benefit from online activities. This pilot study aimed to assess the feasibility of using an online survey to measure the online social habits, social capital, and literacy in DHH adolescents; and explore the relationship between these variables. An online questionnaire encompassing measures of internet, social media usage, bonding and bridging social capital in online/offline settings, and literacy was completed by twenty-nine Australian DHH adolescents (aged 11–18). The results showed that an online survey method is feasible to collect data on online participation and social capital, but not reliable for literacy outcomes. The DHH adolescents reported very high use of the internet. A positive relationship was found between internet use and online bridging social capital suggesting that the internet assists DHH teenagers to expand worldviews and express their opinions. In contrast, no relationship was found with internet use and bonding social capital which indicates the internet still cannot be a substitute for face-to-face interactions for social support. Due to the small sample size and unreliability of self-report literacy scores, we were unable to determine any association between social capital and literacy. However, this pilot informs and provides recommendations for future research examining the relationship between social media use, social capital, and literacy.

A Systematic Review of Services to DHH Children in Rural and Remote Regions

Children in regional, rural and remote areas have less access to services than those living in urban areas. Practitioners serving children with a hearing loss have attempted to address this gap, however there are few studies investigating service access and experiences of non-metropolitan families and professionals. This systematic review evaluates the literature on service provision to children with a hearing loss living in regional, rural and remote areas of Australia. A search of five databases, the gray literature and a prominent author located 37 relevant documents. The journal articles were rated for quality and the findings of all documents were themed. The evidence from this review indicates that children with a hearing loss living in regional, rural and remote Australia experience reduced quality and frequency of service. Further investigation is needed to identify the accessibility and suitability of services for children with a hearing loss in non-metropolitan areas.

Taking up the baton

We are honoured to be the new Deafness and Education International joint editors. We are most grateful to Dr Margaret Brown and Dr Linda Watson for inducting us into the role for the past six months. On behalf of our international readership, we would like to sincerely thank Margaret and Linda for their excellent stewardship of Deafness and Education International over the past 13 years. Since 2005, they have guided the Journal through many challenges and as a result, left DEI in a healthier and more influential position. Here we briefly introduce ourselves. Rachel worked as a teacher of deaf children in secondary and Further Education in Greater Manchester for 25 years before moving to the University of Edinburgh where she teaches on and organizes the postgraduate diploma in deaf education. Rachel’s research includes the achievements of deaf pupils in the school system, the development of technical terms in British Sign Language, and most recently investigating the way deaf and hearing young people read online. Rachel has been on the Editorial Board of the journal since 2003 and has always enjoyed reviewing. Jill is a teacher of the deaf, auditory-verbal therapist, scholar, academic, and advisor whose priority is to ensure that evidence underpins strategic direction, government policy, programme implementation, and pedagogical practice. She has held education-related academic and senior leadership positions in Australia and the USA and has received many awards for her services to children with disabilities and their families. Her current research foci include diversity in education, inclusive education workforce capability, and social capital as a measure of education outcome. Although we have different backgrounds, we work very well together, and between us, we have many useful contacts across the world in deaf education. Our vision for Deafness and Education International is to build on its international strengths and to develop an Editorial Board that is truly global. To accomplish this, we will incorporate an Executive Editor Board and an Associate Editor Board into the journal Governance. More information regarding these Boards will be forthcoming. As joint Editors, we will work closely with the two professional associations associated with the Journal, BATOD and NAATD. We want to ensure that Deafness and Education International remains relevant to teachers of children and young people who are deaf or hard of hearing and that, where possible, articles are translational insofar as they link theory and research to policy and practice. Two DEI special issues are underway: Issues 3 and 4 of 2018 will focus on decisionmaking in the education and development of infants, children and young people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Issue 2 of 2019 will be developed by guest editor, Professor Sangeeta Bagga-Gupta from the School of Education, Jönköping University, Sweden. The topic of this special edition will be languaging across time and space, looking at how deaf children and adults use their languages often in combination. Further details will be announced about this issue soon. Additional changes are underway. Deafness and Education International now has its own Twitter account (@DeafEducInt) so that Senior Editors can share recently published

Description of the direct teaching activities of itinerant teachers of deaf and hard of hearing students

ABSTRACT This study sought to describe and classify the support activities provided by all itinerant teachers for students who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) in regular schools in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), without exclusion. The itinerant teachers (n = 14) varied in terms of formal qualifications and experience and provided support to all DHH (n = 61) students in ACT schools, inclusive of students across all age/grade levels and those with additional disabilities. Analysis of teachers’ responses to a detailed questionnaire provided frequency and time measures for 22 possible activities, which were simplified using factor analysis into 11 categories of activities. Categorization of the activities indicated that 91% of the support time was used for direct teaching, and that 73% of the direct teaching time was primarily focused on the development of skills in language, listening, and speech. The other 27% of the direct teaching time was used for explicit class programme support. As well as providing direct teaching, the itinerant teachers provided consultation services to school personnel and parents. The findings are discussed in relation to the previous literature describing the activities of itinerant teachers of DHH students.

Exploring the Social Capital of Adolescents Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing and Their Parents: A Preliminary Investigation.

Abstract: The study explored the social capital of Australian adolescents who were deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) and their parents, and investigated the relationship between social capital and individual characteristics, language, literacy, and psychosocial outcomes. Sixteen adolescents (ages 11–14 years) and 24 parents enrolled in the Longitudinal Outcomes of Children with Hearing Impairment (LOCHI) study completed an online questionnaire on social capital and psychosocial outcomes. Information about demographics, language, and literacy was retrieved from the LOCHI study database. On average, parent-rated social capital was positively related to adolescent-rated social capital, but not to child outcomes. Aspects of adolescent-reported social capital were significantly related to the adolescents’ language and reading skills, but not to psychosocial outcomes. This study gives support to the promotion of social capital in adolescents who are DHH and their families, and considers how social capital promotion could be applied in interventions.