Investigating the Writing Achievement of Deaf Learners in Inclusive Settings

• In Event: Bilingual and English Language Learners With Disabilities: Research and Practice

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the writing achievement of a Canadian cohort of school-aged deaf learners (N = 64) in inclusive settings. The goal was to establish whether outcomes approached that of hearing age peers and identify demographic factors influencing performance. In contrast to the historically poor achievement documented for this population, a relatively high percentage of study participants performed in the average range or higher on the Test of Written Language-Fourth Edition (TOWL-4, Hammill & Larsen, 2009). As improved auditory access allows deaf learners to develop the discourse level oral language to allow for more fluent text generation, additional investigations of writing achievement in this population will be essential to inform educational policy and pedagogical practice.

Authors

• Connie C. Mayer, York University

• Beverly J. Trezek, University of Wisconsin - Madison