ASL-CI Families Needed for Book

A Book about Your Family’s Story: In Narrative and Photographs

 

Families with children who are deaf and who use ASL are invited to participate in a project that gives families an opportunity to share their experiences as a family. Families with deaf child(ren) who use ASL and CI are also welcome. What is life like with a child who is deaf—at home, in the community, and at school. What communication decisions have you made? What are your family’s goals for now and for the future? What kind of literacy experiences does your child have at home?

Our visits with the families will involve informal interviews around these and other topics that come up during the conversation. We will videotape the interviews only to record the information and not to be shown to anyone.

“A picture is worth 1000 words!” Family photographs are an important part of the project. Informal black and white photographs of the families at home will be taken. The purpose of the photographs is to show the overall “spirit” of each family as a group and individual family members; family diversity, communication and bits and pieces of family life can be communicated through photographs.

The overall approach is collaborative between the families and the project leaders. What stories are shared is the decision of the individual family; we will ask questions to keep the discussion going. What photographs are taken is also up to the family; again, we will make suggestions. The family will be the final decision-maker on the photographs and narrative included in the book.

The book will make an important contribution to the literature.  Very little information is available today about families who use ASL or who use ASL and CI. This is a unique opportunity to provide information from families to other families, teachers, and anyone who might be interested.

What we are asking of the families who participate:

Usually one (sometimes two) home visit (1 ½ hr.—2 hrs each); family members will be videotaped as they discuss their family stories in an informal interview; families will be photographed informally.

Stipend:  We will offer the families a $100 stipend.

Project directors:

Barbara Bodner-Johnson                            

Department of Education                            

Gallaudet University                                     

barbara.bodner-johnson@gallaudet.edu 

Beth Benedict

Department of Communication

Gallaudet University

beth.benedict@gallaudet.edu