Jody H. Cripps

Service-Learning in Deaf Studies: Impact on the Development of Altruistic Behaviors and Social Justice Concern

A literature review identified various kinds of altruism, including altruism devoted to social change and a charitable form of altruism, along with the concept that it is possible for these types to occur independently or simultaneously. A study was conducted with university students in a Deaf studies program to determine the effect of a service-learning experience on the development of altruistic behaviors. Students in a course titled “Social Services in the Deaf Community” responded to a questionnaire measuring their attitudes toward serving the community before and after they participated in an off-campus experience volunteering with organizations that served or could serve the Deaf community. The results indicated significant changes in students’ attitudes regarding their ability to make a difference in society, and strongly suggest a positive correlation between service-learning experiences and development of “civic responsibility” altruistic behaviors among Deaf studies students volunteering in the community.

Deaf Studies Alumni Perceptions of the Academic Program and Off-Campus Internship

Alumni of an undergraduate Deaf studies program completed an online survey about their education and employment after graduation and their perceptions of their internship and undergraduate academic program. Demographically, this population of Deaf studies alumni represented a higher percentage of women and dual-major graduates than was present in the general university population. It was found that most of the alumni reported using the knowledge and skills from the Deaf studies program in their current job. Current employment among alumni was almost 100%, and most of the alumni had positive perceptions regarding their personal, academic, and professional growth as it related to their internship and undergraduate Deaf studies program. The study findings underscore the need for continued support of Deaf studies programs. Suggestions are provided for program directors regarding the development of internships and academic programs for students in Deaf studies.

Why American Sign Language Gloss Must Matter

Responding to an article by Grushkin on how deaf children best learn to read, published, along with the present article, in an American Annals of the Deaf special issue, the authors review American Sign Language gloss. Topics include how ASL gloss enables deaf children to learn to read in their own language and simultaneously experience a transition to written English, and what gloss looks like and how it underlines deaf children’s learning and mastery of English literacy through ASL. Rebuttal of Grushkin’s argument includes data describing a deaf child’s engagement in reading aloud (entirely in ASL) with a gloss text, which occurred without the breakdown implied by Grushkin. The authors characterize Grushkin’s argument that deaf children need to learn to read through a conventional ASL writing system as limiting, asserting that ASL gloss contributes more by providing a path for learning and mastering English literacy.

Meeting the Needs of Signers in the Field of Speech and Language Pathology Some Considerations for Action

Deaf individuals who use American Sign Language (ASL) are rarely the focus of professionals in speech-language pathology. Although society is widely thought of in terms of those who speak, this norm is not all-inclusive. Many signing individuals exhibit disorders in signed language and need treatment much like their speaking peers. Although there is validation of the existence of disorders in signed language, provisions for signed language therapies are rare. Spoken language bias is explored with a focus on the concerning history of therapies provided for spoken language only. This article explores attitudes regarding ASL along with how signed language reading can help identify and treat language learning disabilities among deaf children. Addressing the topic of signed language disorders aims at meeting the needs of individuals who are deaf, which could lead to professional training and treatment options in signed language pathology (e.g., aphasia, stuttering).