Accessibility of children’s books
The In The Picture project promotes the inclusion of images of disabled children in early years’ picture books.
But it also examines the accessibility of books to a range of children with special needs. Its website carried advice and links to a large number of organisations which specialise in book accessibility and carry out research.
www.childreninthepicture.org.uk
How do profoundly deaf children learn to read?
Susan Goldin-Meadow,of the University of Chicago, and Rachel I. Mayberry of McGill University in the USA published this extensive piece of research through Blackwell Publishers.
Extracts are available on the worldwide web at: http://www.acfos.org/sedocumenter/base_doc/lecture_surdite/mayberry.pdf
At these links you can buy the full research papers.
http://www.teachingld.org/ld_resources/ldrp/16.4.html
http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/jbp/gest/2001/00000001/00000001/art00008?crawler=true
Writing profiles of deaf children taught through BSL
Research from the Department of Educational Studies at Oxford University – led by Dr Diana Burman – examines how to create a system of assessing the writing ability of deaf children who have been taught through BSL. They studied 29 profoundly deaf 10-year-olds.
diana.burman@edstud.ox.ac.uk
Reading to deaf children
Research in 1996 by David R. Schleper at Gallaudet University, Washington D.C., looked at using American Sign Language in the reading of stories to deaf children.
Schleper produced 15 principles which can improve communication between story reader and child. The research is copyrighted to him, but extracts are available on the worldwide web. http://www.paec.org/david/reading/deafread.pdf
Another research paper from 1990 - Considerations and Implications When Reading Stories to Young Deaf Children – was written by David A. Stewart.- at the University of Michigan. It also includes strategies for reading to young deaf children including: make liberal use of animated signing; overview selected vocabulary prior to reading; read the same book over and over again; associate signs with print; read at a comfortable pace; help children draw upon their own experiences to understand stories better; allow children to select books they want to have read to them. Details on the worldwide web at http://www.amazon.co.uk/Considerations-implications-reading-stories-children/dp/B00010DUN8
Cochlear Implants
The Ear Foundation is the only UK national charity supporting children with cochlear implants, their families and relevant professionals. The organisation focuses on the long term support of implanted children and their families.
Their website has excellent, well presented information on a wide range of topics, the latest research papers and information on the courses they run. There is a regularly updated news and events page and information on their family programme.
Resources from Ear Foundation include:
E-issue journal
Quarterly e-newsletter
Literature reviews of research paper
Latest research papers and an archive available to download for free
They have booklets and other resources available but you have to contact the Ear Foundation
Case studies on cochlear implants available to download
Website: