Embargo Period

7-22-2023

Degree Name

MA in Intercultural Service, Leadership, and Management

First Advisor

Dr. Bruce Dayton

Abstract

The period from birth to five years is a critical stage for human language acquisition, and inadequate access to language during this period can cause far-reaching negative effects. Young deaf and hard-of-hearing children face barriers to acquiring language through speaking and listening techniques, and their parents must make consequential decisions about what communicative strategies to pursue for their child. In Puerto Rico, information and support around communication approaches flow to parents from a variety of sources, including the Island’s local Early Hearing Detection & Intervention (EHDI) system, three dedicated schools for the deaf, and a variety of community-based organizations. This study sought to analyze the information and services made available to parents, including whether they are adequate or balanced with regard to sign- vs. speech-centered approaches. Semi-structured interviews with seven Puerto Rican individuals knowledgeable in the information flow to parents revealed both strengths and areas for improvement in Puerto Rico’s existing network, and suggested the need for a more systematic approach to parent orientation, and a greater emphasis on early sign language exposure.

Disciplines

Anthropological Linguistics and Sociolinguistics | Critical and Cultural Studies | Disability Studies | First and Second Language Acquisition | International and Intercultural Communication | Interpersonal and Small Group Communication | Social and Behavioral Sciences | Social Justice

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