Document Type
Capstone
Abstract
Over the years, the occupational therapy profession has worked diligently to provide holistic treatment to all populations throughout the lifespan; however, gaps in practice do exist. One gap that was identified, by this paper's author, involves the Deaf and hard of hearing (D/hh) student population. In American Sign Language (ASL), there are twenty-two different handshapes that make up the twenty-six letters of the alphabet, all of which must be formed through the use of fine motor movements of the wrist, forearm, and digits. In typically developing children, these fine motor movements that ASL production requires are not challenging, but they do pose a challenge for those who have experienced atypical development, such as the D/hh population. It is well documented that there is a high occurrence of motor delay in those who are Deaf or hard of hearing (Kamel et. al., 2021 ); however, there is no available research surrounding occupational therapy services for improving signed language skills in this population, specifically research that relates to fine motor skill development for improved ASL intelligibility. The importance of intervention in this population not only surrounds the lack of available research for fine motor skills or the well-documented occurrence of motor delays for this population but also the potential effects of not providing intervention because of the effects of poor language intelligibility. For example, the inability to utilize language has been correlated with higher emotional and mental health challenges, low self esteem, peer rejection, higher rates of suspension, increased depression, and lack of language accessibility in the home and community in adolescents and children (Hall et al., 2017). The purpose of this paper is to improve and encourage conversation surrounding this population's unique needs and providing evidence on the importance of intervention within this population, as it relates to ASL intelligibility, while also indicating an untapped and undocumented area of practice that is well within the occupational therapy scope of practice.
Publication Date
4-2023
Recommended Citation
Matney, Bailey S., "Occupational Therapy's Role in Increasing ASL (American Sign Language) Intelligibility in Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students" (2023). MOT Student Capstones. 5.
https://riches.cabarruscollege.edu/mot-student-capstones/5
