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Audialtext: Improving Communication Accessibility For The Deaf Through Automatic Voice-Recognition And Wearable Smart-Technology., Ernest Roszkowski

Theses

Whether you are ordering food at a restaurant, asking for directions, or receiving a phone call from a family member, it is apparent that human communication is an important part of everyday life. Those who are deaf have limited communication accessibility compared to their hearing counterparts, and by default, obtain less public information and face more obstacles during social interactions.

This thesis project will attempt to bridge this communication gap through the exploration of human interactions with user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) design. The goal is to design and develop an application concept for wearable smart-technology that will …

Deaf Access: Adapting Consent Through Community Engagement And State-Of-The-Art Simulation, Melissa L. Anderson, Timothy Riker, Kurt Gagne, Stephanie Hakulin, Jonah Meehan, Elizabeth Stout, Todd Higgins, Emma Pici-D’Ottavio, Kelsey Cappetta, Anne Prusky

Melissa L. Anderson

All human subjects’ research involves an informed consent process, during which potential participants learn about research procedures, possible risks of being in the research study, and then decide if they would like to participate in the study. This information is usually communicated in written or spoken English, rather than translated into ASL, making the process inaccessible to the Deaf community. In addition, the Deaf community often feels mistrust toward researchers and strong resistance to enrolling in research studies because of the long history of mistreatment of Deaf people in the research world.2-4 Researchers must develop ways to improve access and …

"29 Years Old And Hearing Myself For The 1st Time", Kaylee Dudley

USU Student Folklore Fieldwork

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsOo3jzkhYA

In this video we open to a woman, Sarah, and a nurse sitting near each other in an office. The computer desk has its back to the wall and Sarah who received the hearing implant is to the left of the desk in a chair with her back to the wall. The nurse is sitting at the desk facing the woman with a computer by her side.

After spending some time working to turn the implant the woman says, “It’s beeping,” while the nurse simultaneously says, “There you go.” Then alone the nurse says, “So, now technically, your device …

The N170 Erp Component Differs In Laterality, Distribution, And Association With Continuous Reading Measures For Deaf And Hearing Readers, Karen Emmorey, Katherine J. Midgley, Casey B. Kohen, Zed Sevcikova Sehyr, Phillipp J. Holcomb

Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Articles and Research

The temporo-occipitally distributed N170 ERP component is hypothesized to reflect print-tuning in skilled readers. This study investigated whether skilled deaf and hearing readers (matched on reading ability, but not phonological awareness) exhibit similar N170 patterns, given their distinct experiences learning to read. Thirty-two deaf and 32 hearing adults viewed words and symbol strings in a familiarity judgment task. In the N170 epoch (120–240 ms) hearing readers produced greater negativity for words than symbols at left hemisphere (LH) temporo-parietal and occipital sites, while deaf readers only showed this asymmetry at occipital sites. Linear mixed effects regression was used to examine the …

With A Little Help From My Friends: The Contributions Of A Peer Language Network On The Conventionalization Of Space In An Emerging Language, Deanna L. Gagne

Doctoral Dissertations

Individual children regularize inconsistent language input; many consider this the driving force for language change and emergence. Prior work on Nicaraguan Sign Language found that child learners, created morphological structures that had not existed previously. First-Cohort signers produced spatial modulations inconsistently, both within and across individuals. However, younger Second-Cohort signers who received this inconsistent input produced spatial modulations consistently, innovating morphological structure that had not previously existed in the grammar. Second-Cohort signers benefited from both older-to-younger language learning and peer-to-peer interactions, obscuring the contributions of each. This dissertation disentangles these factors by exploring a sociolinguistic context in which children receive …

Translanguaging Supports Reading With Deaf Adult Bilinguals: A Qualitative Approach, Dan Hoffman, Ju-Lee Wolsey, Jean Andrews, Diane Clark

The Qualitative Report

Translanguaging is a pedagogical theory and an approach to teaching language. It conceptualizes the dynamic ways in which bilinguals use their linguistic repertoire and language practices in both languages for learning, meaning-making, reading, and writing. This study reports on the results of a qualitative study using Grounded Theory. The research question posed was, “what insights do bilingual Deaf readers provide regarding their metalinguistic processes and reading strategies used during translanguaging? To answer this question, responses were gathered from Deaf adults who were interviewed on their language and literacy histories. Further, they were queried about their reading comprehension practices using translanguaging. …

Emotional Facial Expressions In Synthesised Sign Language Avatars: A Manual Evaluation, Robert G. Smith Mr, Brian Nolan

The ITB Journal

This research explores and evaluates the contribution that facial expressions might have regarding improved comprehension and acceptability in sign language avatars. Focusing specifically on Irish Sign Language (ISL), we examine the Deaf 1 community’s responsiveness to sign language avatars. The hypothesis of this is: Augmenting an existing avatar with the 7 widely accepted universal emotions identified by Ekman [1] to achieve underlying facial expressions, will make that avatar more human-like and improve usability and understandability for the ISL user. Using human evaluation methods [2] we compare an augmented set of avatar utterances against a baseline set, focusing on 2 key …

Approaching Undergraduate Research With Students Who Are Deaf And Hard-Of-Hearing, Austin U. Gehret, Jessica W. Trussell, Lea V. Michel

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

An undergraduate research experience can provide a unique opportunity for students to learn and grow as scientists; when positive, this experience is often transformative and motivates students to pursue science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) graduate degrees or careers. Conversely, negative research experiences can sour a student’s opinion of research, propagate misconceptions of graduate school, and lead to attrition from STEM fields. Negative research experiences can be equally devastating for faculty mentors and may result in reluctance to mentor future research students. Using a mentoring approach that has traditionally translated to positive research experiences for hearing students may not be …

Examining Hierarchy Structures In Non-Profits; The Keller Model, Scott J. Keller

M.A. in Leadership Studies: Capstone Project Papers

My capstone project started with challenging myself into designing a different structure than what is commonly utilized in the American workforce. I have come up with a model, that is not just structured differently, but a model that involves an entire culture within. According to my environmental scanning work, there are just five typical (more so traditional than typical) hierarchy models. I believe that the scarcity in available models gives for limitations in ways that an organization can perform, and even more saddening, when the organization does not take into consideration that they could resolve a lot of issues within …

Telemental Health Services As A Targeted Intervention For Individuals Who Are Deaf And Hard Of Hearing, Teresa Crowe

JADARA

Deaf and hard of hearing individuals who have chronic mental illness are a population that is underserved. Like their hearing counterparts with mental illness, individuals who are Deaf and hard of hearing often face medical and treatment disparities. The purpose of this paper is to propose the use of telemental health (TMH) services, or services provided via videoconferencing technology, as a targeted intervention that may provide relief to Deaf and hard of hearing individuals with mental health problems. This paper addresses several areas that are important when considering service provision to Deaf and hard of hearing individuals, including a working …

The Impact Of American Sign Language Interpreter Licensure Laws On D/Deaf Defendants In Criminal Cases, Kymberly Marie Couch

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal law which, among many other regulations, requires that d/Deaf individuals involved in criminal cases be provided with a qualified interpreter of their language, usually American Sign Language (ASL). A qualified interpreter is not defined within the law and states are left to determine what does or does not constitute qualified. This study analyzes the various ways in which d/Deaf individuals should be treated differently within the justice system due to their differences in communication, as well as how statutes defining the qualification of interpreters may be most inclusive of the variances …

A Multi-Generational Deaf Family: A Case Study On Literacy, Rubecca Sue Wilson

MSU Graduate Theses

Literacy is a crucial component of life in our society, and the journey to becoming fluent readers begins before conventional classroom instruction. Literacy rates of adults who are deaf and hard of hearing are consistently in the fourth grade, age nine to ten years, range. In order to help build more skilled readers who are deaf and hard of hearing, it is critical to increase understanding of how deafness affects the development of literacy. This case study was of a family of six with all members' deaf and American Sign Language (ASL) as their first language. The purpose of this …

Victimization Rates Among Deaf And Hard Of Hearing College Students, Kristi Love

Theses

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is receiving increased focus in society, with high profile examples of victimization involving athletes, actors, and politicians being discussed frequently. Society is more accepting of reporting issues of abuse and seeking help for victims. As awareness of domestic and intimate partner violence has increased, resources to address this issue are likely being utilized more. However, some populations are likely being overlooked, underserved, or excluded from accessing these resources. Deaf and hard of hearing individuals are among those who are underrepresented in the existing research on intimate partner violence. Research on victimization among Deaf and hard of …

Deaf Access To Healthcare, Jennifer L. Yates

Senior Honors Theses

Modern medical professionals strive to provide culturally competent care; however, Deaf[1] culture remains overlooked. Common language and experience draw deaf individuals together as a cultural group. Ignorance about Deaf culture perpetuates barriers to holistic care in the medical setting. Deaf patients receive misdiagnoses, delayed treatment, and privacy breaches. Deaf culture understandably avoids healthcare and is characterized by numerous health disparities as a result. Obstacles hindering Deaf access to healthcare are directly opposed to the intended therapeutic relationship and holistic care. Increased awareness of Deaf culture is required to improve the Deaf’s access to healthcare.

[1] The word deaf should …

Understanding The Sexual Assault Disclosure Experiences Of Deaf Women, Noëlle Opsahl, Lawrence H. Pick

JADARA

Deaf women experience sexual assault at a significantly higher rate than the general hearing population, but the research is scarce on Deaf women’s disclosure patterns — the act of telling someone about a personal experience of sexual assault. This phenomenological study explored the disclosure experiences of three female Deaf survivors. The survivors reported themes of power dynamics, revictimization, helpful versus hurtful reactions, met versus unmet expectations, and Deaf community issues. All survivors experienced post-disclosure resiliency and growth, despite having experienced wounding social reactions. These results are discussed in relation to potential service provision for survivors and support providers.

The Use Of Social Media As A Conduit To Promote Social Justice In The Deaf Community, As A Cultural And Linguistic Minority, Through The Visual Language Of American Sign Language: A Movement Against Audism, Sarah K. Glenn-Smith

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

This research employed a case study approach to understand emerging themes that may be garnered through documenting the lived experiences of online Deaf activists who have used the video feature available through social media outlets, such as YouTube, as a way to overcome the language barrier typically present for linguistic minorities who are leading social movements within an English-speaking, hearing majority. The focus of this study was the members of the Deaf Community that have taken to an online podium in their fight for autonomy and equality. They champion their Deaf identity, their right to agency and autonomy in areas …

Hearing Loss: A Silent Health Disparity, Katherine Valek

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

This paper presents an analysis of various aspects of hearing loss and its connection to healthcare settings, particularly nursing. Normal hearing is defined, followed by the definition of hearing loss and deafness. Cultural Deafness is then explained, followed by ways to prevent hearing loss. Additionally, healthcare experiences of individuals with hearing loss will be presented. The project will conclude with recommendations for healthcare professionals in regard to caring for their patients with hearing loss. The main population focus of the paper are Deaf and Hard of Hearing (HOH) individuals. Specifically, their unique experiences in healthcare encounters will be evaluated. Interactions …

E-Mentoring An Educator In A State School For The Deaf: An Action Research Study, Christine H. Gustus

Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative action research study was to explore the benefits and challenges of e-mentoring an adult learner in a rural state school for the deaf that taught children with hearing loss to listen and speak. This school lacked the benefit of a spoken language programs for deaf children. This study focused on e-mentoring the Lead Teacher/SLP, in order to enhance her understanding of language development in children with hearing loss and improve her ability to use diagnostic teaching, in order to implement strategies that would allow the children in this specialized classroom to continue to develop spoken …

A Sound Idea: An Investigation Into Accessible Video Game Design For The Deaf And Hard Of Hearing, Luke James Brook

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

A widely accepted, and incorrect, assumption towards hearing accessibility in video games is that deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) users are those who encounter the least barriers and are generally well catered for. Rapid advancement in video game technology has seen video game sound evolve from simple blips generated by internal circuitry to fully realised digital audio used to convey critical information. To accommodate the DHH, this information needs to be conveyed in an alternative manner. However, evidence suggests existing accessible design solutions for the DHH lack specificity and are insufficient. Thus, the inability to hear, or hear well, …

V Sports: An Even Ground For Deaf Athletes, Charbel Houinato

Program of Industrial Design Capstones

This project explores the communication problems that hearing impaired athletes may face during a game. It will also identify an area of opportunity and propose a product solution to address these communication problems.