title: Improvements in the signing skills of hearing parents of deaf children.
abstract: Most deaf children are born to hearing parents. Yet, many hearing parents are unable to communicate clearly and unambiguously with their deaf offspring. This study looked at changes in the number of parents of deaf offspring who learn sign language, and the signing skills of those parents. It found that over the years the signing skills of these parents have been improving. Of the younger deaf offspring in this study, 73% reported that their parents knew some sign language. Younger offspring rated their parents' signing skills higher than did older offspring. These results may indicate that more parents are now learning sign language.
authors.affiliation: With Life, Inc., Ankeny, Iowa.
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Meyers
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Bartee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003638:Deafness; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009633:Nonverbal Communication; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education*; D012813:Sign Language