The Use of Sign by Deaf Children: The Opinions of a Deaf Community

This study surveyed deaf adults and documented their viewpoints on appropriate methods of communication for deaf children. A questionnaire was designed, pilot-tested, and then administered to 162 deaf adults in the Greater Vancouver metropolitan area. The consensus of the deaf adults was that sign language should be learned at an early age and before speech; language should be acquired bilingually and that American Sign Language and English signs should form the basis of the two languages; and deaf children should be able to obtain a bilingual education and to converse with their teachers in either language. Finally, members of the deaf community felt they should be involved in the formulation and implementation of policies regarding the education of deaf children.