Running Head: AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE IN EDUCATION

American Sign Language and its Effect on the Educational Atmosphere

Anthony Hunke
University of Nebraska at Kearney

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Abstract
Nearly twenty percent of Americans, or forty-eight million human beings, deal with issues of
hearing (The Hearing Loss Association of America, 2005). They go through life and face the
same obstacles that hearing people do. However, without some form of assistance, their
academic performance declines in the classroom. This study seeks to encapsulate the
communicative atmosphere in an educational setting and how it is affected by the
implementation of sign language education. External research posits that sign language systems
are, already, being included, and they are improving the academic standing of the students who
are hard-of-hearing. However, previous research does not analyze the atmosphere of these
educational settings, including the behavior and opinions/feelings of the students. If not
addressed, tensions may arise between hard-of-hearing students and hearing students at an early
age, and may cause mental and emotional repercussions. Through ethnographic research, I will
conduct participant observation and interviews to get a better understanding from the perspective
of the students as to how the atmosphere of the environment has altered due to the introduction
or implementation of sign language, or American Sign Language (ASL). With a better
understanding of how the atmosphere has been altered, educational staff can take the appropriate
steps to ensure the best solution to such issues and ensure a healthy environment for the students
of our future.
Keywords: Hearing, Hard-of-Hearing, Communicative Atmosphere, Ethnography,
Education, Sign-Language

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American Sign Language and its Effect on the Educational Atmosphere

Our planet holds 7.4 billion inhabitants, and roughly five percent, or 360 million, suffer
from some form of hearing loss (World Health Organization [WHO], 2016). With so many
people affected by this issue, why has it not established greater prominence? Many fail to realize
just how many people are affected in some way by detrimental hearing. Issues with hearing have
become the third most prominent physical condition, coming in after heart diseases and arthritis
(The Hearing Loss Association of America, 2005). When people think of hearing loss, they
instantly jump to the elderly, but the cold reality is that it can affect anyone of any age. There are
different severities of it, ranging from mild to severe, and there are, even, different names of
hearing loss statuses. Those who are born without the ability to hear suffer from congenital
hearing loss, and those who lose the ability to hear over the course of their life suffer from
gradual hearing loss (The Hearing Loss Association of America, 2005). People can lose the
ability to hear from an external event, like a loud noise and continued exposure to such noises,
and from a more anatomical event, like the distortion or deterioration of the inner ear drum (The
Hearing Loss Association of America, 2005).
In America, alone, roughly twenty percent, or forty-eight million inhabitants, suffer from
hearing loss (The Hearing Loss Association of America, 2005). However, despite this large
number of people who deal with such an affliction, they continue their lives like proud soldiers.
As many as sixty percent of those afflicted are active in educational programs and in the work
force. While the work force does not see a noticeable effect from those who suffer from hearing
loss, those with this affliction tend to suffer when it comes to education. Numerically speaking,
for every one-thousand students in an educational setting, roughly thirty of them suffer from
some form of hearing loss (The Hearing Loss Association of America, 2005).

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A study conducted by the Washington University School of Medicine in 2004 aimed to

test how individuals who suffer from hearing loss are affected in the classroom. Before the
1980s, issues of hearing loss were deemed to be unimportant, as many saw the functionality of at
least one ear to be sufficient enough for comprehension. However, after the 1990s, many
researchers found that those students who suffer from hearing loss may suffer in the classroom
more so than the rest of their regular hearing peers. These researchers compiled a list of all
research that had been done to examine this up until 2003, and they found that between twentytwo and thirty-five percent of students with hearing loss had to repeat the grade, and twelve to
forty-one percent had to seek extra help. Therefore, these researchers came to the conclusion that
the children with hearing loss experienced poor grades, altered behavioral outputs, and a need for
extra help (US National Library of Medicine, 2004).
With this information, it can be seen how children who suffer from hearing disabilities
suffer in the classroom. Just one possible solution would be to implement sign language into the
educational system. While there have been studies that have done this and noted the results, I
want to take a different approach to this topic. The introduction of American Sign Language
(ASL) into the educational system can provide benefits, but what are some of the other effects to
those involved? How does sign language alter the atmosphere of the setting? Do normal hearing
children feel bitter or receptive towards it? Do hard-of-hearing children feel more isolated?
Through the Interpretive Paradigm, this study shall use the interviewing and participant
observation processes of the ethnographic approach to analyze the responses of those in question
in an educational environment. A series of questions shall be given to analyze how sign language
was implemented into the curriculum, the effects of it, both beneficial and detrimental, and how
both hard-of-hearing and normal hearing students feel as a response. In addition, I shall be

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observing the interactions within the classroom under the guise of an assistant professor to get a
richer depiction of why they answer the way they do. To do this effectively, I shall use the
ethnographic research design to study this cultural group in the field. Due to the possible large
groups, the shared beliefs and behaviors that form their culture, and my desire to observe them in
their natural setting, an ethnographic approach would be the most beneficial (Creswell, 2013).
Throughout this proposal, the Semiotic Theory shall be explored, as it is an interpretive theory.
The Semiotic Theory analyzes how signs gain their meanings within a culture. This theory
includes a semantic triangle, with the designated object, its meaning, and the referent included
(Beach, n.d.). This theory, also, includes how signs are used to communicate with others.
Therefore, I shall explore my research question:
RQ: How does the implementation of sign language in the educational sphere affect the
communicative atmosphere?
In order to adequately explore this topic, a summation over previous work done regarding
this topic as well as work that gives adequate background information shall be provided within
the Review of Literature section. The methodology of interviewing and participant observation
shall be explored in greater detail, including more elaborate information and plans, and a
discussion shall be provided as well.
Review of Literature
A History of Sign Language
Sign language may connect with the earliest form of communication, according to some
scholars. With our primitive ancestors, these cavemen sat around in smaller numbers, connecting
with each other via simplistic noises, like clicks or guttural growls. They, also, relied heavily
upon nonverbal and body language. However, over time, this shifted towards a spoken form of

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language. This was a result of evolution, as mankinds brain became more evolved and complex
(Mathur, 2011). Sign language became important due to the periods in our history when the
spoken word was not the most important element of communication. Many cultures have relied
upon a silent form of communication, like contemplative societies (Daniels, 2001). Xenophon, a
man from ancient Greece in 431 B.C. may have been the earliest example of a man who utilized
sign language (Corballiss, 2002). The history of sign language is essential to understand the issue
that we face today and how it could prove useful.
Sign languages, today, have many different forms, just as the spoken languages vary in
forms. There are different accents, different dialects, and other distinctions that many might
believe are only characteristic of the spoken language. Within sign language, the words and
letters are made with the hands and fingers. Placed about the body, the hands can cohabitate and
work with the facial features. With American Sign Language, there are five parts, and they are
the handshakes, locations, movements, palm orientations, and facial features. The facial features
are significant because when certain words have similar hand signals, the face may be the only
way to distinguish between them (Bayley, Lucas, & Valli, 2003). One cannot hope to harness a
technique unless they know about it first. Thus, Bayley, Lucas, and Valli sought to uncover some
basic knowledge behind sign language.
Many argue that sign language is not a legitimate area of study for linguistic researchers.
The reason for this is because, with spoken communication, we create signs and give them
meanings. These meanings are shared by a group of people, and thus, mutual understanding can
be achieved. While many people fall prey to the belief that the signs are the actual things they
represent, the key element to remember is that the sign is not the object, itself. With sign
language, this confusion is amplified even more because a physical sign is attributed to the item

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being discussed. Therefore, scholars, such as Ferdinand de Saussure, have compared sign
language to miming (Corballiss, 2002). If I presented all the facts for a tactic, some may find it
biased. Therefore, I have presented Corballiss work to provide both sides of the case. From
these accounts of the history of sign language, one can understand its importance, and how it
could help people who are hard-of-hearing when implemented into the educational program.
Distinctions Between Comprehending Visual and Audible
A description of the processing of visual signs and spoken wording needs to be made to
get the full sense of the comparison between the two. When people hear a statement, this
information is placed within the left hemisphere of the brain. This is so because the left side
deals with the statistics, analytics, linguistics, and rationale of the world (Emmorey & Reilley,
1995). To show this, studies have been conducted that display that children who go through their
early childhood development phase without adequate exposure to spoken language will have
underdeveloped left hemispheres of the brain. Many refer to this as the critical period, for we all
know that children are highly impressionable at an early age (Phillips, 2002). Tests have been
conducted to show that the left hemisphere, also, plays a role in comprehending information
taken in via physical signs and sight. However, the right hemisphere does play a part. The left
hemisphere works to comprehend languages, but the right hemisphere works to comprehend
visual-spatial stimuli. Thus, sign language utilizes both the left and right hemisphere since it
deals with language and visual stimuli (Bellugi, Hickok, & Klima, 2001). In understanding how
our brains comprehend sign language, one might be able to see the benefits that it can bring.
To further exemplify the tasks of each hemisphere, tests were conducted and showed that
people with damaged left hemispheres had trouble processing and creating language (Emmorey,
2002). Jan Moore, a professor at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, claimed in an interview

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on October 15, 2014 that the linguistics of an interaction in sign is processed in the left
hemisphere, but the other aspects, such as visual, emotional, or other nonverbals are processed
elsewhere (J. Moore, personal communication, October 15, 2014). Karen Emmorey and Harlan
Lane claimed that both hemispheres are responsible for interpreting information from nonverbals
(Emmorey & Lane, 2000). In addition, the occipital lobe is the part of the brain that deals with
the vision of a person. The occipital lobe runs through both hemispheres of the brain. When
people were asked to read a passage or look at something visual, the occipital lobe in both
hemispheres lit up. de Groot found that when the brain interprets a message, should the left
hemisphere be unable to make sense of it, the right hemisphere takes a turn to try and
comprehend it by offering visual images (de Groot, 2011). In realizing what parts of the brain are
responsible for what, we can decipher the truth of how sign language plays a part in our mental
maturity. Therefore, we can legitimize our reasoning to study sign language implementation and
its effects upon the communicative atmosphere of the classroom.
Sign Language Effects, Goals, and Outcomes
Students who are hard-of-hearing find themselves cut off and isolated, unable to grow or
mature properly when completely mainstreamed. Mainstreaming is when the hard-of-hearing are
integrated with regular hearing people in classes (Miller, 2012, para. 12). In doing this, they find
that they have a hard time finding others like them, connecting with them, etc. During the 1960s,
the Gallaudet University experienced some turmoil because many people of the Deaf community
saw it odd to be led by a member who was not hard-of-hearing. Studies showed that hard-ofhearing children who had deaf parents were more apt to pick up on language and grammar rules
than hard-of-hearing children who had normal hearing parents. With this discovery, sign
language was incorporated into the educational practice more and more. Those who use sign

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language create cultures and communities, and they create lasting connections. In addition, these
individuals stand as role models for other people who are hard-of-hearing. Throughout the years,
ASL has been suppressed because many do not know much about it or its effects on the masses.
If ASL is held back, many will find it difficult to pick up as time goes on (Smith, 2014). In
understanding the negative consequences of suppression with sign language, we can, hopefully,
take the steps needed to implement it regularly and help our citizens. Once implemented, we can
study the effects is has upon everyone, and if there are negative tensions, we can work to
overcome them.
Sign language has been known to improve sight-word integration and comprehension of
letters in the alphabet. Humans are symbol using creatures, but at a young age, symbols are
devoid of as much meaning as adults assign to them. Therefore, by comparing a sign to each
word, they become reified. As far back as the 1800s, sign language was viewed as essential in the
educational system. Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet first noted sign languages benefits after
observing deafened twins. Further testing revealed that bringing sign language into the
educational system improved the participants academic performance. The reason that spoken
language and sign language are so effective together is because of the multiple parts to each.
The greatest learning occurs when both tactile and kinesthetic channels combine with auditory
and visual modalities; sign language, which makes use of both modalities, thus improves
learning (123HelpMe, 2016, para. 5). The movements associated with sign language can help
seal in new knowledge. There have been tests and studies conducted that have shown that
matching spoken or written words with a sign can increase retention. The sign is the physical
anchor to attach the meaning to, and it provides a physical movement for muscle memory
(123HelpMe, 2016, para. 5). The connections between spoken and signed language have positive

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benefits, and thus, they need to be implemented together in most educational systems. A better
understanding of the concept of sign language helps to validate the current study.
Sign language in the classroom is most often used by teachers and instructors to
accomplish several goals. First, they strive to regulate the behaviors and actions of their students.
Second, they desire to capture the attention of their students. Third, sign language works to
enhance the students abilities with literacy. Fourth, the speech of the student improves thanks to
sign language. Fifth, the language, itself, improves. Finally, the interactions and relationships
between the students improve as well. Children learn faster when they can hear, see and feel the
words they are learning. All teachers should consider using sign language as a positive multimodal teaching solution (Simpson, 2012, para. 7). Knowing the benefits of sign language will
motivate others to implement it. We can only study the classrooms of teachers who use sign
language as a resource, and thus, this helps us understand what kind of educational system the
school is from the start.
Educational Options for Sign Language
Sign language classes are offered at several community colleges and universities.
Libraries and churches are, also, good places to start (National Association of the Deaf, n.d.). The
earlier you learn about your hearing issue and take action, or the sooner you learn about your
childs difficulty with hearing, the better, for steps can be taken early on. There are early
education options, or pre-school options. Children up to four years of age who have hearing
issues can join. Not only does this option help the young children with language and
communication tactics, but they permit the parents to cope and deal with the scenario (Miller,
2012). Residential schools are another option, but this is for older students who will have to live
at the campus site. All of the students face the same issue of being hard-of-hearing. In addition,

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the faculty share the same challenges, or they are trained with how to deal with it. There are
benefits and drawbacks to this option. Some advantages include being around others who share
the same experiences, the educational programs are tailored to such conditions of deafness, the
classes are taught with sign language, extracurricular activities consist of hard-of-hearing folks
who help to build community, and it provides strong role models who are also hard-of-hearing.
Some drawbacks include feeling isolated away from family and monetary issues to paying for
such an education. The feedback from the hard-of-hearing students varies, depending upon how
much assistance they were given at said university. The nasty drawback to this is that deafness is
considered by the government to be a low incidence disability (Miller, 2012, para.13), and
thus, the assistance and programs for hard-of-hearing students receive limited funding. Finally,
mainstreaming causes the students who are hard-of-hearing to feel isolated. There are examples
of sign language being taught, already, and thus, if a few can do it now, then we all can do it.
With this becoming more common, my study could be used more and more.
Case Studies of Sign Language in the Classroom
One voice rings out from fourteen year old Harrison. According to AgBell.com, Harrison
is a fourteen year old boy from Boise, Idaho who voiced his experience in regards to his hearing
condition. Harrison suffers from mild-to-moderate hearing loss (Volta Voices, 2010, para. 4),
and he took to writing to explain his feelings toward his disposition in education. Harrison
expresses his concern around other students and faculty, claiming that they do not always
understand why he does things differently. They think I am just being difficult or I am lying
about my hearing loss. They think I am dumb or dont have any feelings because I cant hear
well (Volta Voices, 2010, para. 4). Harrison continues to suffer the results of the disconnect
between his disability and the professors. For instance, they seem to still speak away from the

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class, toward the board, despite the difficulty this presents to Harrison. Teachers rely upon oral
modes of communication only, and thus, when an assignment is changed via spoken word,
Harrison misses this que, and he suffers the negative grade that results. Harrison was shy at first
about disclosing his difficulty, for he did not want to be rejected. However, upon disclosure,
many of the children seemed to accept him, as they continue to do, today (Volta Voices, 2010).
Harrison provides an excellent example of how a lack of sign language education can be
detrimental. His account, also, reveals possible tension in the classroom, and it is this tension that
I wish to analyze.
Christine Lack conducted an experiment to see how the introduction of American Sign
Language would benefit the classroom. She utilized her position as an educational facilitator, and
she used her class to test her question. Her class consisted of thirteen first graders, and of
these, seven were girls and six were boys. There were, also, seven second graders, two girls
and five boys. One student was African American, another was Asian, and eighteen of them were
of Caucasian decent (Lack, 2008, p.3). These children came from different backgrounds, and the
involvement of the parents for each child varied. The class was broken into four reading groups,
and each was of different reading skill. In order to test her question, Christine focused on the
group with the lowest capacity for reading. This group had all first graders, with one boy and
three girls. It was interesting to note that two of these students have involved parents. Every
student in the class had a good relationship with the others. They were their own
culture/community. There were rituals conducted to increase cohesion (morning greeting) (Lack,
2008, p.3).
Christine Lacks interest in American Sign Language drove her to this. Christine
incorporated sign language into the class by teaching colors, names, the alphabet, and using sign

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language in the morning ritual. Simple phrases were taught as well so that the students could use
it amongst themselves. They seemed very attentive. The main question was What impact will
knowing American Sign Language have on first graders academic success? (Lack, 2008, p.4).
Some other questions to be answered included whether sign language increased creativity,
whether it affected behavior, whether it helped comprehension, and whether it strengthened the
bond between parent and child. Lack used a spelling pretest with the students. The students were
asked to spell forty words. They had to write them, for they did not know enough sign language
yet. All they could do was their name. A month later, the students were asked to spell ten words,
and after this written test, the students were tested to finger-spell those words. Finger spelling is
the written equivalent of writing the letters. With finger spelling, the hands shape out the letters.
Each student showed promise by being able to finger spell at least two words (Lack, 2008). By
comparing the number of mistakes made from the pretest to the posttest, it was shown that the
students improved in both the written tests and the signed tests.
Christine Lack began to incorporate sign into everyday tasks, like the morning greetings.
Students had to walk around and greet their peers in sign, and, on one day, every two weeks, the
student who needed to use the facilities could only sign to ask. The teacher would sign
instructions, and the students began to follow. These first graders were, also, given the chance to
teach fourth graders how to sign. They seemed excited to teach an older student (Lack, 2008,
p.7). They started with just their name, but, after a while, they began to sign complexly, to the
teacher and to each other, influencing the behavior in the classroom. Lack introduced a survey to
the children and their parents. Many of the parents said the children were educating them in sign
at home. From her personal notes, Lack observed how the students had gone from unconfident to
sociable in sign to their peers. Students grew with their comprehension and understanding. They

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began to use sign without being told to do so. From this information, Lack derived that in
learning sign language, the students were, also, increasing their academic performance. Some
students, previously, had trouble with writing, but after learning sign language, they began to
improve (Lack, 2008, p.9). Lack took the work from a student before introducing sign language
and compared it to work done after sign language had been introduced. The students capacity
for spelling and formalizing proper syntax had improved. While the spelling did improve, sign
language did not seem to have much of an effect on writing. The students grew in their own
personal lives. They were able to sign amongst themselves. Whereas early on, many students
struggled with confusion, they began to improve their skills to understand, as every human seeks
to reduce uncertainty (Lack, 2008, p.11). This case study demonstrates the effectiveness that sign
language in the classroom can have. It talked about sign language education, its uses, and some
benefits, but it did not cover the emotional aspecta topic area I seek to cover here.
Students who are hard-of-hearing or are deaf need support in order to become actualized.
Years of research have suggested that those hard-of-hearing, or who are deaf, suffer academically
compared to those who can hear. People have begun to take action by creating assistance
techniques for these hard-of-hearing individuals, including CART, or Communication Access
Real-Time, and C-Print. Also included are transcription notes over the lectures. Many deafened
students are a part of regular educational systems. With College, as many as 31,000 students with
hearing disabilities are active in the educational system, and 90% of these students take part in
the academic setting with hearing peers (Marschark et al., 2006). A study conducted by Jacobs
in 1977 claimed that students hard-of-hearing learned in the classroom by interpreting, and this
process meant that they learned less in the classroom than those who could hear well. Many
other tests have been done, and they all find the same thing, and that is students who are hard-of-

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hearing learn poorly as compared to their regular hearing counterparts (Marschark et al., 2006).
In interpreting in the classroom, deafened students find their comprehension skills lacking.
Marschark, Convertino, Macias, et al. (2006) conducted a study where the deafened students
were paired together to play a game of Trivial Pursuit. Those who were strong in ASL were
paired, those who were strong in spoken language were paired, and those who were good with
both were paired. With this game, single sentences were conveyed, and the signers
comprehended efficiently only 63% of the time (Marschark et al., 2006). We need to educate the
best and brightest for our countrys future. Everyone deserves a fair chance at this. By not
incorporating sign language as a necessity in education, how can we expect to produce the best?
This, also, showed how the two groups, hard-of-hearing and normal hearers, are divided to be
studied in the classroom in some situations, and this is what I want to do as well.
Many investigations have shown how the academic performance of these hard-of-hearing
students are impacted. Some possible explanations are that the teachers, who are not deafened,
teach in a manner that applies directly to regular hearing students, and therefore, this creates a
disconnect with the students who are hard-of-hearing. Therefore, many are seeking alternatives
to interpreting. There is a shortage of instructors capable in this field. A viable and popular
option for this is to have a person act as a transcriptionist with the student in the classroom. As a
teacher talks, the transcriber uses the CART or C-Print tactics to place the lectured material in
printed form. Findings revealed that doing this resulted in higher levels of information recall, and
furthermore, those students with higher capacities for reading could recall even more than those
who have lower levels of talent in reading (Marschark et al., 2006). Alternatives have been
provided for the benefit of the reader should they find themselves knowing hard-of-hearing
individuals, or, if they are one.

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Stinson et al. (1988) conducted a survey with college students and asked which they
preferred, interpreting or real time text transcription. Many claimed that the transcriptions led to
higher comprehension rate. An experiment regarding a bilingual school for students in
Kindergarten through tenth grade was conducted. The participants were twelve to sixteen years
old, and there were fifteen of them. Each student was assessed every other day during the course
of a week. They were tested in three different areas, and they were the teacher signing, the
teacher mixing sign with text, and the teacher using text only. Each student would be tested in
each of the three areas every other day during the week. The lectures covered geography, and
new information was presented. Therefore, the first test was signed, the second test was signed
and recorded in text, and the third test was recorded in text only. After the lesson, the students in
question were assessed. The results were inconclusive (Marschark et al., 2006). This is another
example of how services to students who are hard-of-hearing can be beneficial, and, sometimes,
they can be inconclusive.
From the research given above, it is apparent that hard-of-hearing students lag behind in
the classroom without a form of assistance. This assistance needs to come in the form of
transcription personnel or sign language skills implemented into the educational curriculum. The
studies provided here describe how sign language skills have been taught in the classroom, and
they give some benefits, but they fail to mention the personal testimonies of the students. I argue
there may be more going on than we can see on the surface, such as an unchecked inner form of
turmoil and confusion. The interpretive paradigm is essential to study this particular problem
where numbers would be next to useless in the examination of personal connections,
relationships, etc. Also, the ethnographic approach allows me to immerse myself in this
population to discover these hidden implications.

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Methodology
Research Design
Interpretivist paradigm. For my methodology, I have decided to approach this topic
with the interpretive paradigm. Interpretivism uses qualitative data to interpret the actions of
others for the sake of rendering a vivid image, looking at the meanings of underlying actions, and
seeing the world around us as constructed through the agreed upon meanings of the people that
inhabit it (Babbie & Baxter, 2003). Interpretive scholars deal with values throughout the
research, and thus, the truth of things is found through conversation and dialogue. Interpretive
scholars conduct their research in a naturalistic setting to capture the true essence of the topic
under study (Cohen & Crabtree, 2006). Whenever we commit to an action, there is a meaning
attached to it; it is purposive. Thus, as an interpretive researcher, I seek to analyze the actions of
others to look for hidden meanings, or to render such actions intelligible (Babbie & Baxter,
2003).
Social constructivist frame. Social constructivism focuses on collaboration in learning.
Lev Vygotsky said that cognitive functions are a result of social interactions, and he saw that
language and culture played a part in constructing meaning in society (Berkeley Graduation
Division, 2016). This relates to the Semiotic Theory due to the fact that a group of people assign
meanings to symbols and agree upon them to create a method of communication. My research
regards human beings and how the introduction of an external stimuli affects their behaviors,
actions, and mentality. Previous works have demonstrated that sign language in the classroom
can benefit the academic performance of the students. However, my curiosity stems from
whether sign language in the classroom will affect the atmosphere. Will the students begin to
form sub-groups to compensate? Will they display aggressive behaviors out of frustration? Do

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those normal hearing students somehow blame those hard-of-hearing students for making their
lives complicated? These types of questions can be answered through immersing myself in the
classroom, observing the verbal and nonverbal cues of the students, and interpreting my findings.
If sub-groups are formed, they may begin to formulate their own language, or their own way of
communicating. The Semiotic Theory will come into play when analyzing how different groups
begin to form and how they assign new meanings to symbols, if applicable.
Disability studies frame. Disability studies can, also, be incorporated. These researchers
do not see a disability as a defining detriment to a person. It is not something that a doctor can
fix. Disability studies are critical in the aspect that they analyze social models and theories and
try to allow people to respond appropriately. Scholars under this framework wish to eradicate the
negative connotation that has attached itself to illness, disease, and handicap. They want to
make sure they have equal access and are not being suppressed, silenced, marginalized, or
oppressed (Creswell, 2013). Thus, my research will couple interpretivism and social
constructivism with disability studies to examine how students who are hard-of-hearing and how
they may be silenced in the classroom by their peers, or rather, how the implementation of sign
language into the educational system may lead to the further deterioration of relations between
the students in the classroom.
Participants. To gather my sample, I shall use purposive sampling since interpretive
researchers analyze the purpose behind the actions. According to Creswell (2013), purposive
sampling indicates selecting those people that will help to provide a rich understanding of a
situation (Creswell, 2013). Since I cannot analyze every classroom, I want to use a single
classroom as a test for, possibly, larger tests in other educational settings (Babbie & Baxter,
2003). First, I shall distribute a questionnaire to various elementary schools in a certain city to

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determine which ones deal with hard-of-hearing students the most. The individuals being studied
will have to be in the younger years of elementary school, such as first grade, since this is when
language development is the most crucial. If one school reports having many hard-of-hearing
students attending and a sign language curriculum, I shall select that school, and I shall select
one class consisting of, roughly, twenty students. I will choose a class that is evenly divided
between males and females to make it more appropriate and applicable.
Data Collection Procedures
Ethnographic approach. The Ethnographic approach, founded by Dell Hymes, focuses
on a cultural group to study. In other words, ethnographers seek and analyze a group of people
who share values, beliefs, language, behaviors, and other attributes (Creswell, 2013).
Ethnography is inductive because researchers can put forward questions to be answered or
hypotheses to be tested based on observations of a group or a site, analyzing people as they go
about their lives on a day-by-day basis (ERIAL Project, 2016). This approach is useful for
analyzing a group of twenty or more, and thus, with my classroom full of children, this will be
ideal. Researchers analyze the symbolic interaction that occurs within the group, thus pertaining
to the Semiotic Theory of shared signs and the social constructivism of language. Once
immersed, the researcher looks for rituals that occur regularly. The researcher, then, conducts
interviews while observing the participants and records their perspectives for analysis. My
approach will border a critical ethnography because, should there be students who feel
victimized due to their status, I want to make sure they get the assistance they need (since critical
ethnographers challenge power structures and fight for silenced voices) (Creswell, 2013).
I will be introduced as an assistant teacher to my selected classroom. I will travel to the
site of the school, and I shall observe and interview several of the students. I would be

AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE IN EDUCATION 21

considered a complete participant in the fact that I will join the setting as a native, and the
students will not realize they are being studied. While this raises an ethical concern, their age
will prevent them from realizing what is really happening, and the benefits of my findings will
help these students who are hard-of-hearing combat the threats of mainstreaming. I will interact
with the students, conducting exercises with them, behaving as any teacher would. This will
require me, as a researcher, to undergo extensive educational training before the classroom
encounter. Over the course of the semester, I will interview and observe the students, but these
interviews will be masked to look like casual conversationsthis way, the answers will not be
acclimated to the belief that they are being analyzed (Creswell, 2013).
Participant Observation. Participant observation is advantageous because the natives
can be studied over time (Babbie & Baxter, 2003), and I will be immersed and studying my
students for roughly sixteen weeks. This form of observation is crucial for those wanting to
observe behaviors and mannerisms in a natural setting, and the researcher gains a much richer
understanding, thereby incorporating the Semiotic Theory. I will be a complete participant,
where the participants of the study do not realize they are even being analyzed due to the fact
that the researcher blends in as a native. Ethically speaking, this deception is necessary because
the participants will provide honest answers. If they know they are being studied, they may alter
their responses (Babbie & Baxter, 2003). Here, I will incorporate field work which regards
active looking, improving memory, informal interviewing, writing detailed field notes, and
perhaps, most importantly, patience (Kawulich, 2005, para. 2). I will create positive rapport
with the participants. This permits me as a researcher to blend in, gaining genuine information. It
is my goal to become a respected mentor for the students to the point where they will want to
talk to me about issues they face.

AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE IN EDUCATION 22

I will take notes each and every day as I enter the classroom for observation. Elementary
students have a homeroom, but they travel to other classrooms to learn other subjects. As I am an
assistant teacher, I shall travel around with them, so that I am observing the same group of
students each and every day over the sixteen-week period. An educator takes notes throughout
the day, so my note-taking will not draw attention. These will be my field notes, and I shall
record everything that I observe on an objective manner first. These observations include the
exercises taught that day, their reception by the students, their possible snickering or inner-group
conversations while the primary teachers back was turned, etc. Then, I shall keep a reflective
journal separately, reporting my feelings toward what I saw. This will help me remain sane and
prevent me from going native.
Interviewing. Interviewing involves asking certain questions and recording the answers
provided. It resembles casual conversations, especially when the researcher is not known to the
participants. When I speak with my students, I do not want it to be one sided with me asking the
questions; I want it to be an open dialog. Their inquiries and insights may teach me something
about their latent knowledge. Analyzing how they say what they say opens the door to linguistic
analysis (Babbie & Baxter, 2003). With the subjects being first grade elementary students, it is
important to maintain good listening skills. If these young kids do not feel like the center of
attention, they will not give full focus. I will follow a semistructured interview protocol. It will
contain twelve open-ended questionssix of which will be paraphrased variations that will be
administered. I have chosen to do this so that each person will receive a different set of
questions, and they will not realize that I am asking each one the same questions (see Appendix
A). The questions will inquire about their age in school, whether they suffer from any form of
hearing loss, how long they have dealt with it, their perceptions of how they are treated

AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE IN EDUCATION 23

differently, whether they think they are suffering academically, whether they feel victimized by
their peers, if their classes have sign language capabilities, whether they seem to help if they do,
and their views on what should happen for other hard-of-hearing students. This encourages the
interviewee to answer the open-ended questions in their own language, uncovering how they say
or do something (Babbie & Baxter, 2003, p.333).
When collecting the information through observation and interviews, it is important that
the researcher gains permission from gatekeepers, or those that are the primary contact within the
culture under study. For me, the gatekeepers are the principal, the assistant principal, and the
primary teachers (see Appendix B).
I will conduct the interviews at two different times. First, I will wait until February to
conduct my first set of interviews. This will be right after the sign language skills have been
implemented, so if the students do not like it, my findings will reflect this. My second set of
interviews will be conducted toward the end of April, right before the end of the spring semester.
This is done to compare student responses and to see whether the atmosphere worsened or
improved in the classroom. These interviews will be labeled as numbers, not as the names, to
protect the identity of each student. Once my work has been done, I will leave, gradually, and
provide a debriefing document (see Appendix D).
Data Analysis
As I conduct my masked interviews and observe through direct exposure, I will use
codes, or themes, to decipher similarities that arise due to the various stimuli that manifest in
class. It will be easier to code the responses once they have been transcribed through the
TypeWell system. First, I will unitize field notes I collect from my interviews and participant
observations. This means that I will look at specific words, phrases, or entire sentences for

AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE IN EDUCATION 24

commonalities. Then, I will develop my coding system. The research-process coding will look at
my journals and reflections for similarities and differences, and I will use analytic coding, or the
constant comparative method, to read through my data, to find my first and second segments of
data that I wish to build around, find the grounds of similarity or difference, and label these
themes/categories. I will then re-read and add additional information until each part is saturated.
Data triangulation will help to compare my interviews, my participant observation notes, and my
transcripts. Member checking will prove useful as I will continually keep in contact with my
students to make sure I am recording the appropriate information applicable to my study, and
thus, validating my coding process. Their verification will be another form of validity. I will
search for exemplars, or vivid depictions of my labeled coding, to verify my findings (Babbie &
Baxter, 2003). These exemplars will consist of similarities between feelings of isolation, feelings
of bitterness, hatred, or feelings of acceptance, personal betterment, and happiness. In regards to
coding, I will start with open coding to surface common themes. Then, with axial coding, I will
look for factors and contexts that caused the theme to surface (Creswell, 2013). Thus, after
coding, I will want to resolve them by taking critical action.
Project Schedule
The end goal of this project is its completion by May 2017. Here is a rudimentary
timeline of the project:
1. Create and distribute questionnaire to several different schools to determine which
elementary school system will be the target of my research by December 15, 2016.
2. Speak with the gatekeepers of the class that I intend to study based on findings from
the questionnaire by December 19, 2016.

AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE IN EDUCATION 25

3. Secure all equipment for this process, including the intended questions, the
transcribing equipment TypeWell, the amplification system, and all paperwork by January 5,
2017.
4. Apply for the IRB approval by January 10, 2017.
5. Begin my first day of class as an assistant teacher. This will include passing out the
informed consent sheets (see Appendix C) to be signed and returned by January 15, 2017.
6. Throughout the semester, conduct exercises with the students, implement the learned
sign language material, and conduct first set of interviews by February 20, 2017.
7. Transcribe answers to the interviews into the TypeWell system.
8. Conduct the second set of interviews and transcribed by April 27, 2017 to analyze the
difference in communicative atmosphere that may have taken place.
9. Compile the information into a rough draft format and present to gatekeepers to gather
their insight and ask for their opinions by May 2, 2017. This is called member-checking.
11. Finalize research report by May 6, 2017.
Project Budget
With this research project, the cost will be, relatively, low. The biggest element in regards
to cost is accessing the TypeWell system for transcribing. Also, gaining access to an
amplification system will cost some money. Otherwise, it is my gas money to commute to the
school, and the process of formulating a questionnaire, an interview protocol, and observation
protocol is all on my budget. However, I want to provide some form of monetary compensation
to the faculty and staff of the school who permits me to enter the system.

AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE IN EDUCATION 26

Discussion
Strengths
Addition to the Staff. To prepare for this research project, I shall undergo extensive
training and education to become as efficient as possible for the children. I will receive tutelage
and take classes to learn how to manage and educate children, especially those with disabilities.
As such, my presence will add another trained professional to the room for maximum efficiency.
Instead of twenty students all opting for the attention of one professor, I will be present to take
the workload off the primary instructor. I shall work with each student in conducting my
procedure, but I shall, also, provide an additional benefit by making sure they understand the
content.
Provide Beneficial Equipment. During my stay with my designated class, I shall
provide an amplification system from the University of Nebraska at Kearney. This will permit an
easier transition into the curriculum for those facing difficulty picking up sign language. Not
only that, but it will be a sign of good faith, revealing my devotion to the class.
Safety. It can be hard enough for one teacher to have to monitor the entire class and
ensure the safety of every student. This includes ensuring their physical and psychological safety.
As an assistant to the teacher, I shall be observing the classroom during the regular exercises,
taking notes, and conducting interviews masked as casual conversations. With this in mind,
should I notice something out of the ordinary, like one student picking on another due to hard
feelings, I can report this negative behavior and ensure each students safety. I will, also, report
any findings that may pertain to the safety of the class to those in a position to implement
positive change.

AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE IN EDUCATION 27

Peace of Mind. It is every parents worst nightmare to hear that their children are being
picked on. With me being a part of the classroom, I will be an extra set of eyes to ensure their
childrens safety.
Limitations
Sample Selection. After distributing the questionnaire to determine which elementary
school classroom to analyze, I might be faced with the dilemma of having to make a choice
between two classrooms that are equally appropriate to study. There may be two different classes
with a mixture of hearing and hard-of-hearing students who are split fairly evenly between males
and females. I will have to rely upon a more subjective approach to choose my designated group.
Transcriptions. While I am conducting my interview, I will be jotting down rudimentary
notes so as to not rely completely upon memory, but I cannot write everything down. There is the
possibility that the time between my jotting and my filling in details would be long enough
where I might lose some details. Also, the transcription process will have to be done outside of
the classroom, thereby posing an issue with available time on my part.
Ethical Concerns. By becoming a complete participant in a way that masks my presence
as a researcher and fools the participants into believing I really am an assistant professor, I am
deceiving my students. However, the benefits of learning how the atmosphere has changed can
lead to implementing changes that will result in better communicative behaviors amongst the
students and improved performance in many aspects of their lives, not just academics.
Going Native. My personal experience and background has made it so I am deeply
invested in this research project. I may lose my original perspective by becoming too immersed
into the perspective of an assistant professor with the mentality of helping them out before
accumulating my own findings.

AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE IN EDUCATION 28

Future Directions and Conclusions

I have always wanted to help those in need, and that is why my research borders upon the
critical because I do not wish to see any student suffer from a factor they cannot help. I have
found, through extensive research, that sign language education is being implemented into the
classroom in certain areas, and where they are, academic performances of the hard-of-hearing
population is improving. However, what this research fails to bring into account is their feelings
and possible behaviors as a result of the implementation. Aside from improved academic
standing, where does that leave the students who have no issues with hearing? Do they become
hardened? Bitter? How does this change the communicative atmosphere? It is my goal to analyze
how students, who are hard-of-hearing, feel in regards to the implementation of sign language,
and I hope to find improved connections with their peers.
In learning how the communicative atmosphere has been affected by the implementation
of sign language education, the staff at the elementary school can adjust to these alterations. For
instance, if my interviewing process revealed that the normal hearing students resented this
implantation of sign language, it would explain why they began to treat the hard-of-hearing
students with disdain. Knowing the reasoning and the truth of the act, the faculty and
administration could take action to reduce these negative actions. Future research could try a
similar proposal, but have a researcher introduced into the field. In other words, how would this
procedure change if the students knew that the assistant professor was, also, a researcher sent to
analyze them? Would they, purposely, not treat their peers differently because they know they are
being watched?
With so many people upon our planet facing the issue of hearing loss, it is a wonder that
not more has been done to accommodate to it. Through the introduction of past research and case

AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE IN EDUCATION 29

studies, one can see how sign language being implemented into the educational system has its
merits, but little attention has been given toward the atmosphere of the educational context. I
have faced a form of discrimination in my life, and I know the negative consequences it can
leave upon a persons psyche. Therefore, no one should be suppressed for something out of their
control. No voice should be silenced. I hope to leave my mark upon the world in a way where
people will help the needy and suppressed more willingly. Let justice ring out for all to hear.

AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE IN EDUCATION 30

References
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Wadsworth/Cengage Learning.
Bayley, R., Lucas, C., & Valli, C. (2003). What's Your Sign for Pizza? An Introduction to
Variation in American Sign Language. Washington, D.C.: Gallaudet University Press.
Beach, R. (n.d.). Semiotic theory. Retrieved from
http://www.tc.umn.edu/~rbeach/teachingmedia/module4/4.htm
Bellugi, U., Hickok, G., & Klima, E. S. (2001). Sign language in the brain. Retrieved from
http://www.zorna.com/spike/docs/SignLanguageInBrain/
Berkeley Graduation Division. (2016). Social constructivism. Retrieved from
http://gsi.berkeley.edu/gsi-guide-contents/learning-theory-research/social-constructivism/
Cohen, D., & Crabtree, B. (2006). Qualitative research guidelines project. Retrieved from
http://www.qualres.org/HomeInte-3516.html
Corballiss, M. C. (2002). From hand to Mouth: The Origins of Language. New Jersey: Princeton
University Press.
Creswell, J.W. (2013). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five
approaches. Los Angeles, CA: SAGE.
Daniels, M. (2001). Dancing With Words: Signing for Hearing Children's Literacy. Connecticut:
Bergin & Garvey
de Groot, A. (2011). Language and Cognition in Bilinguals and Multilinguals. New York:
Psychology Press.
Emmorey, K. (2002). Language, Cognition, and the Brain. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum
Associates, Inc.
Emmorey, K., & Lane, H. (2000). The Signs of Language Revisited. New Jersey: Lawrence
Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
Emmorey, K, & Reilley, J. (1995). Language, Gesture, and Space. New Jersey: Lawrence
Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
ERIAL Project. (2016). What is ethnography? Retrieved from http://www.erialproject.org/forlibrarians/what-is-ethnography/
Kawulich, B.B. (2005). Participant observation as a data collection method. Forum: Qualitative
Social Research, 6 (2). Retrieved from http://www.qualitative-

AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE IN EDUCATION 31

research.net/index.php/fqs/article/view/466/996
Lack, C. (2008). American sign language in the classroom, what are the benefits? State College
Area School District. Retrieved from https://ed.psu.edu/pds/teacherinquiry/2008/lackc.pdf
Marschark, M., Leigh, G., Sapere, P., Burnham, D., Convertino, C., Stinson, M., Noble, W.
(2006). Benefits of sign language interpreting and text alternatives for deaf students
classroom learning. Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, 11 (4). Doi:
10.1093/deafed/enl013
Mathur, G., & Napoli, D. J. (2011). Deaf around the World: The Impact of Language. New York:
Oxford University Press, Inc.
Miller, J. (2012). Education options for children that are deaf or hard of hearing. Retrieved from
https://www.signingsavvy.com/blog/81/Education+Options+for+Children+that+are+Deaf
+or+Hard+of+Hearing
National Association of the Deaf. (n.d.). Learning American sign language. Retrieved from
https://nad.org/issues/american-sign-language/learning-american-sign-language
Phillips, M. L. (2002, April 17). Sign language and the brain. Retrieved from
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Simpson, A. (2012). Benefits of using sign language in your classroom. Retrieved from
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Smith, T. (2014). The impact of education on deaf culture. Retrieved from
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unilateral hearing loss in children. Retrieved from
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http://www.agbell.org/Document.aspx?id=192
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(2016). The benefits of incorporating sign language in primary classrooms of hearing learners.
Retrieved from http://www.123helpme.com/view.asp?id=35171
Appendix A: Interview Protocol Questions

AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE IN EDUCATION 32

American Sign Language in Education

Interview Protocol Questions
Please answer the following questions to the best of your ability. Include as much detail as you
can. Your answers will remain strictly confidential.
1. What grade are you in here at _______ Elementary School? How old are you? Are you
a boy or a girl?
2. Would you consider yourself a normal hearing student, or a student who is hard-ofhearing? Why do you feel you are considered as such?
3. If you consider yourself hard-of-hearing, do you remember when it started? How did
you realize that not everyone was like that? Upon realizing it, how did that make you
feel?
4. If you consider yourself hard-of-hearing, do you find your life unfair? How have you
had to adjust to life in a way that a normal hearing student might not have had to?
5. If you consider yourself as a normal hearing student, do you perceive any of your
peers differently? What is the reason for that? Does it have anything to do with the
implementation of sign language?
6. Whether you are a normal-hearing student or a student who is hard-of-hearing, do you
perceive yourself as being treated differently in the classroom as compared to your
classmates on the basis of your hearing status? Please describe in as much detail as
possible the differences if they exist.
7. Are your grades falling? Do you perceive that as being a result of your hearing status?
If so, how so?
8. Do you feel victimized by your classmates? If you are hard-of-hearing, do you feel
that your normal hearing peers are treating you differently as a result of the
implementation of the sign-language education? If you are normal hearing students,
do you see the hard-of-hearing students as behaving differently toward you?
9. Do you perceive the sign language implementation helpful in life outside of class? Do
you view it as a positive or negative? Please be as detailed as possible to describe
your feelings toward this educational implementation.
10. If you had to look in on this from an outsiders perspective, how would you solve an
issue between normal hearing students and students who are hard-of-hearing, if there
was tension to begin with?

AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE IN EDUCATION 33

11. Do you feel any emotion that may not have been present before regarding the
administration? Do you perceive the teacher differently than you did at the beginning
of the year? Whether you are happy, sad, angry, frustrated, etc. please describe, to the
best of your ability, the source of your knowledge and why you think you feel that
way.
12. Have you noticed any of your classmates treating you differently lately for any
reason? Why do you think that is? Do you think it has anything to do with your
hearing status?

AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE IN EDUCATION 34

Appendix B: Gaining School Consent E-mail

American Sign Language in Education
Dear Principal Kyle,
On behalf of the University of Nebraska Kearneys Graduate Research Program, I thank you
for talking the time to answer our questionnaire that was sent about a week ago. It provided
us with valuable insight regarding the hearing community in educational institutions. After
compiling the questionnaires and analyzing them, I have come to the conclusion that ______
Elementary School is the best candidate to study the hearing community and their reactions
and responses to sign language implementation in the classroom.
If you have any doubts about such a program, allow me to put your mind at ease. First and
foremost, none of your students shall be harmed or afflicted negatively in any way from my
research. With your consent, I would enter the classroom under study, and I would take the
position of assistant professor to the primary instructor. My presence would, in no way, alter
the way the primary professor conducts their class, and I would, merely, be an extension to
their cause. I would assist the students with their academics, thus improving their
performance right from the start. I shall do everything that the primary instructor tells me to,
and, on two separate occasions, I shall conduct interviews with each of the students. With my
spot as an assistant professor, I shall become close to these students and build rapport, and
thus, these interviews will be seen as mere academic check-ups and status updates. They will
not see is as formal research.
Throughout the entire semester I shall be observing the class proceedings and record them for
my own benefit and, should you require access to these for some academic purpose, I shall
permit you to access my data. My research shall analyze whether the implementation of sign
language education alters/affects the communicative atmosphere in the classroom. In other
words, how does that affect the mentality of the students? I have seen how young children
can bully others based on differences. Some might even see this implementation as a
nuisance and blame someone else. Therefore, my findings will help uncover these latent
feelings and provide ways to cope and solve such issues. As you can see, my research
provides numerous benefits with few, if any at all, drawbacks. I hope to hear back from you
regarding whether you will permit me to enter your educational system for the course of a
semester as an assistant professor. Do not worry, for I shall attain the necessary educational
training to permit me to become a true assistant professor to your students. I shall, even,
conduct routine check-ups with you or your board of educators to prove I am doing a suitable
job that meets your standards and criteria. I hope to hear from you soon, and I hope we can
work together. I look forward to a long and promising friendship. If you have any questions,
please do not hesitate to ask me.
All the best,
Anthony Hunke
Graduate Student Researcher at the University of Nebraska at Kearney

AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE IN EDUCATION 35

Appendix C: Research Informed Consent Form

American Sign Language in Education
INFORMED CONSENT FORM
WHAT I AM DOING
I am a graduate student from the University of Nebraska at Kearney, and I have applied to
_______ Elementary School to become your assistant teacher for your particular class. I have
always been interested in the art of communication, and I believe this stage in your life is vital
for communication development. I understand that have begun to include sign language into your
classes, and I want to help! A new form of communication can be hard to adjust to, but I want to
make this transition a little easier for each and every one of you. I will be assisting you in your
lessons, helping to make sure that you understand the course work, and I will ensure that you
perform as well as you possibly can. I will be taking notes and engaging in routine conversations
with each and every one of you to get updates on where you are at with your progress and how
you feel about it. At two different points throughout the semester, I will be conducting
evaluations on your progress. This is for my academic evaluation and should, at no point, give
you reason to be concerned. In addition, I shall be using a tape recorder so that I can have a more
detailed record of our interactions. I cannot rely on memory alone! Anything that I record or jot
down will not be shared with any of your peers, and it shall be destroyed upon my leave at the
end of the semester. I want to become a part of this family, so if you have any questions, please
do not hesitate to ask me. You can reach me at XXX-XXX-XXXX or at
hunkeam@lopers.unk.edu
RISKS
The risks for this operation are very minimal. This should produce no physical or psychological
effects, but if you feel confused, threatened, violated, or hurt in any way, please come talk to me
or your teacher about it, and we shall propose a solution.
BENEFITS
The benefits of my presence are numerous. Not only will I be having a hands-on approach of
helping you all succeed with your school work, but I shall provide an amplification system for
those who wish to make use of it. Each student within my class will receive a reward from the
school. This will be issued at the end of the year, and it will be a surprise. It could range from
free lunches in the cafeteria for the last week, added recess time, or something else! I am, also,
another person to talk to should you feel the need to talk. I am always here to help. The school
shall benefit as well due to another educator to provide assistance and to help improve the quality
of the education that this establishment offers.
CONFIDENTIALITY
As mentioned above, any information that I record regarding you will be kept confidential and
protected under the Confidential Policy of the University of Nebraska at Kearney, not to mention
my own code of ethics. I shall ensure that our conversations are private and our assessments are
done in a separate room. I will assign your case file a number instead of your name to ensure that
people passing by do not catch a glimpse of who I am dealing with. Only I will know the code
system for what number correlates with what name. All information will return home with me at
the end of every work day, and, upon the completion of my stay at ________ Elementary School,
all of my findings will be destroyed, and you and your family will be notified of this.
PARTICIPATION

AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE IN EDUCATION 36

Of course, you have the right to participate, and you have the right to refuse participation. Upon
my first day at the school, you have the right to refuse me access to enter the room and help with
your education. At any point of the process, if you feel upset, confused, or angry, you have the
right to say that you no longer wish me to interact with you, and the teacher, you, and I will work
out a solution. You will still receive the same benefit as the other students should you withdraw,
and this withdrawal will, in no way, affect your academics outside of your own actions.
CONTACT
If you have any questions at all throughout this semester, I highly encourage you to reach out to
me. I can be reached at XXX-XXX-XXXX or at hunkeam@lopers.unk.edu. My direct supervisor
from the University of Nebraska at Kearney is Corey Reutlinger, and he can be reached at XXXXXX-XXXX or at XXXXXXXXXX@unk.edu.
ADDITIONAL
I highly encourage each and every one of you to bring this to your parents and ask for their
consent as well. Even if you say yes, and they say no, I shall respect that wish. I would
appreciate if the parents would call me at XXX-XXX-XXXX to gain further information from
me. If this does not work, parents, might you place your number on this sheet for me to get in
touch with you? I want you to be completely at ease about my participation in the academic field.
SIGNATURE OF CONSENTED INDIVIDUALS
__________________________
Students Signature
__________________________

Parents Signature

Number______________________

AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE IN EDUCATION 37

Appendix D: Debriefing Form

American Sign Language in Education
Form of Debrief
To my wonderful students,
I want to take this time to thank you for allowing me to be a part of your learning experience for
the past few months. I have learned a lot from being among you. Many of you have come to
know me as your assistant teacher, and I tried my best to help you in any way that I could.
However, I must confess that there was another reason for my being here. I am a researcher for
the University of Nebraska at Kearney, and my purpose, aside from helping you become
educated, was to study how sign language being used in a classroom altered the way you all
behaved. I am more than willing to share my findings, not publicly, but I will allow you to see
what I recorded regarding you. Rest assured that no one else will ever see the information I have
collected regarding you. However, if you are still uncomfortable with this, sign the line below,
and I shall destroy the information. I collected regarding you. Your data will not become part of
my research. If this has upset you or made you confused/sad in any way, please come talk to your
teacher or myself, and we shall do our best to fix this problem. If you have any questions, please
let me know, and if your parents have questions, have them call me at the number given below.
Thank you for everything, and thank you for a wonderful year. I hope that you do not see me as a
bad guy, but still as that friend who devoted himself to helping you over the course of the last
few weeks.
All the best,
Anthony Hunke