Signing Instruction for Deafness

(SISI Trial)

Age: Any Age

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: The University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Disqualifiers: Hearing students, others

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

Duration: 9 academic months

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

The trial aims to explore how teaching strategies can boost sign language skills in deaf children, potentially improving their reading and writing abilities. The focus is on using Strategic and Interactive Signing Instruction (SISI) to determine its effectiveness for children at high risk of language delays. Teachers will receive training to implement these methods, and researchers will compare their effectiveness to traditional teaching practices. The trial is open to deaf children in prekindergarten to 3rd grade and their teachers. As an unphased trial, this study offers participants a unique opportunity to contribute to innovative educational strategies that could significantly enhance learning outcomes for deaf children.

Do I need to stop my current medications to join the trial?

The trial information 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 deaf children?

Research has shown that teaching methods like Strategic and Interactive Signing Instruction (SISI) can improve language skills in deaf children. However, specific safety data for SISI itself is not available.

This program is non-invasive, involving no physical procedures or medications, which generally indicates low risk. SISI focuses on improving communication skills, emphasizing teaching rather than causing side effects.

For those considering joining this program, the goal is to enhance sign language skills, making it a likely safe educational experience. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the Signing Instruction for Deafness trial because it's exploring new ways to boost sign language skills among deaf children. Unlike traditional teaching methods, this trial focuses on the Strategic and Interactive Signing Instruction (SISI) technique, which aims to enhance teachers' ability to effectively implement sign language instruction. The trial's unique approach involves a structured training program for teachers to improve their teaching fidelity, potentially leading to better language outcomes for children. By comparing different implementation methods and tracking progress over time, the trial seeks to uncover more effective strategies for sign language education.

What evidence suggests that Strategic and Interactive Signing Instruction is effective for improving sign language skills in deaf children?

Research shows that methods like Strategic and Interactive Signing Instruction (SISI), studied in this trial, can improve language skills in deaf children. Similar techniques, such as Strategic and Interactive Writing Instruction (SIWI), have enhanced writing and language skills in deaf and hard of hearing students. This suggests that SISI could also improve sign language skills, which connect to better reading, writing abilities, and overall health. The approach uses engaging strategies based on existing ideas about language cognition and learning. Early results indicate that these methods can significantly improve communication skills for children with potential language delays. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for deaf children aged 5 to 8 who are at high risk of language delays. It aims to improve their sign language skills, which may help with literacy and health outcomes.

Inclusion Criteria

I am a deaf student in grades pre-K to 3.

I am a teacher for the deaf from pre-K to 3rd grade.

Exclusion Criteria

Non-teachers of the deaf

Hearing students

I am a teacher for the deaf from 4th grade upwards.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Intervention Development

Development of the Strategic and Interactive Signing Instruction (SISI) manual and protocols

3 months

Teacher Training

Teachers receive training on SISI implementation and fidelity

2 months

Treatment

Implementation of SISI to improve sign language skills in deaf children

9 academic months

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for improvements in sign language and written language skills

3 months

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Strategic and Interactive Signing Instruction

Trial Overview The trial tests a new program based on sociocultural, cognitive, and language theories. It uses strategic and interactive methods to enhance complex sign language skills in these children.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Single Case Research Design: Deaf Children's Language Growth Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Single case research design will provide robust day-to-day data of causal relations between SISI and sign language skills. Given teachers' high fidelity in SISI implementation, a noncurrent multiple baseline design across child participants will be applied to assess the extent of SISI improving deaf children's target sign language skills in a year. The independent variable of this study is the SISI implementation, which is used to improve the dependent variables which will be target sign language skills.

Group II: Pre- and Post- Descriptive Study Data of Language Outcomes Children Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Up to 40 children from 4 classes will provide pre- and post-data in which they respond to a prompt in sign language on video.

Group III: Improving Teacher Fidelity to SISI Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

A noncurrent multiple baseline design across teacher participants will be utilized to assess the extent of support required by teachers to become proficient in SISI implementation. In this study, the independent variable is the SISI training, and the dependent variable is teacher fidelity to the SISI program as measured by the SISI fidelity checklist.

Group IV: Control and Experimental Groups: SISI Efficacy Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

This pre- and post- study provides baseline data on deaf children's sign language development prior to receiving SISI. Additionally, each participating teacher will submit a recorded instructional unit showcasing their best methods for supporting sign language development. This provides a further layer of baseline analysis, allowing the PI to assess the instructional methods already in use prior to SISI professional development and implementation. Demographic data for both teachers and students will also be collected in preparation for the quasi-experiment study. Then, teachers will be assigned to either an experimental group, which will receive SISI professional development, or a control group that will continue with their usual teaching practices. In this quasi-experiment study, SISI's efficacy will be evaluated by comparing outcomes between the two groups.

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

A 66-week sign language training program for a brain-damaged, aphasic patient resulted in the learning of 14 signs, demonstrating the potential for communication improvement in such patients.

Inclusion of a peer during training significantly enhanced the patient's performance and socialization, leading to increased eye contact, gestures, and attempted speech, with retention of skills observed even months after the program ended.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Peer-facilitated sign language training for a geriatric stroke victim with chronic brain damage. Wisocki, PA., Mosher, PM.[2015]

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]

Over a 12-month period, five hearing parents of hearing-impaired children showed significant improvements in their communication skills, including spoken and signed input, after receiving targeted feedback and intervention sessions.

All parents made progress in at least one area of communication, enabling them to deliver clear and understandable messages to their children, which is crucial for effective interaction and support.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Enhancing parents' use of SEE-2. Progress and retention. Luetke-Stahlman, B., Moeller, MP.[2019]

The DAVID instructional system combines motion, color, and audio from instructional television with interactive features to meet the unique educational needs of deaf students, enhancing their learning experience.

Preliminary testing of the DAVID system, developed for the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, showed promising results in effectively engaging deaf students through individualized instruction and immediate feedback.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A description of the DAVID interactive instructional television system and its application to post-high school education of the deaf. vonFeldt, JR.[2019]

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. taggs.hhs.gov taggs.hhs.gov/Detail/AwardDetail?arg_AwardNum=R21DC021024&arg_ProgOfficeCode=45

Award Information | HHS TAGGS Strategic and Interactive Signing Instruction (SISI): An intervention program to support sign language development in deaf children ; Award Number: R21DC021024 ...

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

Signing Instruction for Deafness (SISI Trial) Research on a similar approach, Strategic and Interactive Writing Instruction (SIWI), shows it improved writing and language skills in deaf and hard of hearing ...

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06729177

Single Case Research Design: Teacher Outcomes The PI and a rater will use the Strategic and Interactive Signing Instruction. fidelity checklist to rate teacher faithfulness to each component ...

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

Strategic and Interactive Signing Instruction (SISI) Strategic and Interactive Signing Instruction (SISI): An intervention program to support sign language development in deaf children. Project Number ...

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

Sign Language Instruction for Deafness · Info for Participants There is no specific safety data available for sign language instruction ... Strategic and Interactive Signing Instruction (SISI) for deafness? Research ...

8. trialstoday.org trialstoday.org/trial/NCT06729164

Quasi-Experimental Study Purpose. This quasi-experimental study involves teachers divided into an experimental group and a control group.

9. ttaconline.org ttaconline.org/instructional-strategies-students-deaf-hard-of-hearing

Instructional Strategies for Students who are Deaf and Hard of ... Utilize the whole language philosophy. Use signed English, Cued Speech, and more fingerspelling to clarify differences between ASL and printed English.

10. mdpi.com mdpi.com/2227-7102/13/6/533

Curriculum and Instruction for Deaf and Hard of Hearing ... Improving educational outcomes for d/Deaf and hard of hearing (d/Dhh) students has long been a focus of d/Dhh education.