title: Case Studies of Multilingual/Multicultural Asian Deaf Adults: Strategies for Success.
abstract: Case studies of adult d/Deaf or Hard of Hearing Multilingual Learners (DMLs) are few, especially studies of DMLs who learn more than one sign language and read logographic and alphabetic scripts. To reduce this paucity, two descriptive case studies are presented. Written questionnaires, face-to-face interviews, and self-appraisals of language-use rubrics were used to explore (a) the language and literacy histories of two adult Asian DMLs who had learned multiple languages: Chinese (spoken/written), English (written), Chinese Sign Language, and American Sign Language; and (b) how each language was used in different cultural communities with diverse conversational partners. Home literacy environment, family support, visual access to languages, peer and sibling support, role models, encouragement, perseverance, and Deaf identity all played vital roles in the participants' academic success. The findings provide insights into the acquisition of multiple languages and bi-literacy through social communication and academic content.
authors.forename: Qiuying
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Andrews
authors.forename: Hsiu Tan
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Chun Jung
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D041923:Adolescent Development; D044466:Asian People / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D003638:Deafness / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D060345:Education of Persons with Hearing Disabilities; D004521:Educational Measurement; D004522:Educational Status; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D019303:Multilingualism; D019986:Persons with Hearing Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D012813:Sign Language; D009626:Terminology as Topic; D055815:Young Adult