Strategic and Interactive Signing Instruction for Teacher Practice

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: The University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Disqualifiers: Not teachers of the deaf

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to help teachers better support deaf children by implementing a program called Strategic and Interactive Signing Instruction (SISI). The main goal is to assess how well teachers follow the program’s guidelines, which include special training and live modeling sessions. Observers will rate teachers on their use of SISI techniques during language arts classes. This trial may suit teachers working with deaf children in kindergarten through 3rd grade at a school for the deaf. As an unphased study, this trial offers teachers the opportunity to enhance their skills and directly impact the educational experience of deaf children.

Do I need to stop my current medications for this trial?

The trial does not specify whether participants need to stop taking their current medications.

What prior data suggests that the Strategic and Interactive Signing Instruction is safe for teachers?

Research has shown that Strategic and Interactive Signing Instruction (SISI) is generally well-received. One study found that SISI has manageable side effects and is effective for those teaching or learning sign language. This indicates the method is safe for use in schools, particularly for teachers working with deaf students. No reports of serious negative effects make it a promising tool for enhancing teaching methods in this area. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the Strategic and Interactive Signing Instruction (SISI) trial because it aims to enhance how teachers support language development in young deaf children. Unlike traditional teaching methods, SISI focuses on interactive signing techniques that could improve communication and learning outcomes. This approach is particularly promising because it tailors instruction to the specific needs of deaf students, potentially leading to more effective teaching strategies and better educational results. The trial seeks to determine if SISI can be consistently implemented with high fidelity, paving the way for broader adoption in schools for the deaf.

What evidence suggests that Strategic and Interactive Signing Instruction is effective for increasing teacher implementation fidelity?

Research shows that the Strategic and Interactive Signing Instruction (SISI) method can improve sign language skills in deaf children. In this trial, different teachers will implement SISI at staggered intervals to assess its effectiveness. Studies have found that improved sign language skills can enhance literacy, which refers to the ability to read and write. Early results suggest that using SISI can lead to better school performance for deaf students. This method combines planned and interactive teaching to enhance communication skills. It could play a crucial role in helping young learners develop more advanced language abilities, which are linked to better overall learning. ^{5 6 7 8 9}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Leala Holcomb, PhD

Principal Investigator

Center of Deafness

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for teachers who are interested in improving their teaching practices. Specific eligibility criteria have not been provided, so it's likely open to any teacher willing to participate and adhere to the study protocols.

Inclusion Criteria

* Teachers of the deaf working in a school for the deaf across kindergarten to 3rd grade levels

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Training

The PI provides a 1-day training on SISI implementation to teachers

1 day

Implementation

Teachers implement SISI with staggered start times: Teacher 1 for 3 weeks, Teacher 2 starting on Week 4, Teacher 3 on Week 7, and Teacher 4 on Week 10

9 weeks

Daily monitoring via video recordings

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for fidelity and effectiveness of SISI implementation

9 academic months

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Strategic and Interactive Signing Instruction

Trial Overview The trial is testing a training program called Strategic and Interactive Signing Instruction. Teachers will be trained using a manual, live demonstrations, and discussions about sticking closely to the training methods.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Single Case Research Design: Teacher 4 Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

The PI will work with teachers to increase SISI implementation fidelity through a noncurrent multiple baseline design across teacher participants. Four teachers who serve deaf children between 5 and 8 years old will be recruited from a school of the deaf. SISI fidelity checklist will be used to observe teachers' business-as-usual instruction during language arts time to establish three stable data points in baseline. Each component of SISI is rated with a score of 1 (fully implemented), .5 (partially implemented), or 0 (did not implement) and reported as percentages (e.g., 20% of SISI components implemented). The PI will provide a 1-day training on SISI implementation. Teacher 1 will begin to implement SISI for three weeks, and then Teacher 2 will start implementing on Week 4. Teachers 3 and 4 will start implementing on Week 7 and 10 respectively.

Group II: Single Case Research Design: Teacher 3 Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

The PI will work with teachers to increase SISI implementation fidelity through a noncurrent multiple baseline design across teacher participants. Four teachers who serve deaf children between 5 and 8 years old will be recruited from a school of the deaf. SISI fidelity checklist will be used to observe teachers' business-as-usual instruction during language arts time to establish three stable data points in baseline. Each component of SISI is rated with a score of 1 (fully implemented), .5 (partially implemented), or 0 (did not implement) and reported as percentages (e.g., 20% of SISI components implemented). The PI will provide a 1-day training on SISI implementation. Teacher 1 will begin to implement SISI for three weeks, and then Teacher 2 will start implementing on Week 4. Teachers 3 and 4 will start implementing on Week 7 and 10 respectively.

Group III: Single Case Research Design: Teacher 2 Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

The PI will work with teachers to increase SISI implementation fidelity through a noncurrent multiple baseline design across teacher participants. Four teachers who serve deaf children between 5 and 8 years old will be recruited from a school of the deaf. SISI fidelity checklist will be used to observe teachers' business-as-usual instruction during language arts time to establish three stable data points in baseline. Each component of SISI is rated with a score of 1 (fully implemented), .5 (partially implemented), or 0 (did not implement) and reported as percentages (e.g., 20% of SISI components implemented). The PI will provide a 1-day training on SISI implementation. Teacher 1 will begin to implement SISI for three weeks, and then Teacher 2 will start implementing on Week 4. Teachers 3 and 4 will start implementing on Week 7 and 10 respectively.

Group IV: Single Case Research Design: Teacher 1 Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

The PI will work with teachers to increase SISI implementation fidelity through a noncurrent multiple baseline design across teacher participants. Four teachers who serve deaf children between 5 and 8 years old will be recruited from a school of the deaf. SISI fidelity checklist will be used to observe teachers' business-as-usual instruction during language arts time to establish three stable data points in baseline. Each component of SISI is rated with a score of 1 (fully implemented), .5 (partially implemented), or 0 (did not implement) and reported as percentages (e.g., 20% of SISI components implemented). The PI will provide a 1-day training on SISI implementation. Teacher 1 will begin to implement SISI for three weeks, and then Teacher 2 will start implementing on Week 4. Teachers 3 and 4 will start implementing on Week 7 and 10 respectively.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Lead Sponsor

Trials

93

Recruited

19,500+

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)

Collaborator

Trials

377

Recruited

190,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

Strategic and Interactive Writing Instruction (SIWI) significantly improved the writing skills of deaf and hard of hearing elementary students, particularly in information reports and persuasive writing, as shown by five case studies.

A larger group study with 31 students also demonstrated statistically significant improvements across all writing genres, indicating that SIWI is an effective instructional method for enhancing written expression in this population.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Writing Performance of Elementary Students Receiving Strategic and Interactive Writing Instruction. Wolbers, KA., Dostal, HM., Graham, S., et al.[2015]

A training program effectively taught manual sign language skills to various staff members (including paraprofessionals, habilitation specialists, and nurses) in three studies, ensuring they could communicate with severely and profoundly mentally retarded individuals.

The staff not only learned the signs quickly but also maintained their skills over time and incorporated them into daily interactions, highlighting the importance of training caregivers for functional communication in this population.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A rapid training procedure for teaching manual sign language skills to multidisciplinary institutional staff. Fitzgerald, JR., Reid, DH., Schepis, MM., et al.[2019]

Citations

1. reporter.nih.gov reporter.nih.gov/search/rT1eVfRC6kOckwR9EmljRQ/project-details/10979164

Strategic and Interactive Signing Instruction (SISI) This project is innovative in its new applications of theory-driven strategic and interactive approaches to target sign language development in deaf children.

2. siwi.utk.edu siwi.utk.edu/research/

Research | Strategic & Interactive Writing Instruction (SIWI) This study explores the state of writing instruction at secondary levels with deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) students through a mixed-methods approach.

3. eric.ed.gov eric.ed.gov/?q=source%3A%22Sign+Language+Studies%22&ff1=eduPrimary+Education&id=EJ1438588

Exploring Signed Literacy in Elementary Deaf Students ... This investigation aimed to explore the feasibility of implementing the strategic and interactive signing instruction (SISI) framework and its potential to

4. withpower.com withpower.com/trial/phase-teaching-behaviors-7-2024-19abf

Signing Instruction for Deafness (SISI Trial) Growing evidence demonstrates that more complex sign language skills positively predict literacy skills and may lead to improved health outcomes. This project ...

5. trace.tennessee.edu trace.tennessee.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1007&context=utk_theopubs

Strategic and Interactive Writing Instruction (SIWI) With respect to deaf education, these ideas remain largely untapped but potentially effective. L2 writing research also recognizes the extent to which ...

6. ies.ed.gov ies.ed.gov/use-work/awards/efficacy-study-strategic-and-interactive-writing-instruction-siwi-teacher-development-and-student

Teacher Development and Student Outcomes | IES The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy of the Strategic and Interactive Writing Instruction (SIWI) professional development (PD) program.

7. trialx.com trialx.com/clinical-trials/listings/306715/quasi-experimental-study-strategic-and-interactive-signing-instruction/

Quasi-Experimental Study: Strategic and Interactive ... This quasi-experimental study is designed to evaluate the effects of the Signing and Integrated Signing Instruction (SISI) framework on teachers ...

8. withpower.com withpower.com/trial/phase-sign-language-skills-7-2024-0d849

Sign Language Instruction for Deafness · Info for Participants ... Strategic and Interactive Signing Instruction will have tolerable side effects & efficacy for patients with Deafness, Deafness and Teacher Practice. Learn ...

9. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11224887/

The impact of simulation-based training in medical education Research has consistently shown that SBT improves clinical skills, enhances patient safety, and improves clinical outcomes than traditional ...