Supporting the linguistic benefits:
CBC News Online (2002). "Linguistic ability linked to early exposure to language: Cdn. study".
Mayberry, R. (1998). "The critical period for language acquisition and the deaf child's language comprehension: A psycholinguistic approach." Bulletin d'Audiophonologie: Annales Scientifiques de L'Universite de Franche-Comte, 15, 349-358.
Mayberry, R. I. (1994). "The importance of childhood to language acquisition: Insights from American Sign Language." In J.C. Goodman & H.C. Nusbaum (Eds.), The Development of Speech Perception: The Transition from Speech Sounds to Words, 57-90.
Signing in preschool and kindergarten environments and resulting scores on vocabulary tests:
Daniels, M. (October, 1994a). The effects of sign language on hearing children's language development. Communication Education, 43, 291-298.
Daniels, M. (1996b). Seeing language: The effect over time of sign language on vocabulary development in early childhood education. Child Study Journal, 26, 193-208.
Daniels, M. (2001). Dancing with Words: Signing for Hearing Children's Literacy. Westport, Connecticut: Bergin and Garvey.
Support that signing helps with early literacy skills:
Felzer, L. (1998). A Multisensory Reading Program That Really Works. Teaching and Change, 5, 169-183.
Wilson, R., Teague, J., and Teague, M. (1985). The Use of Signing and Fingerspelling to Improve Spelling Performance with Hearing Children. Reading Psychology, 4, 267-273.
Hafer, J. (1986). Signing For Reading Success. Washington D.C.: Clerc Books, Gallaudet University Press.
Koehler, L., and Loyd, L. (September 1986). Using Fingerspelling/Manual Signs to Facilitate Reading and Spelling. Biennial Conference of the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication. (4'th Cardiff Wales).
Support for signing with children with special needs:
Apraxia of Speech
Square PA, (1994) Treatment Approaches For Developmental Apraxia Of Speech. Clinical Communications Disorders, 4(3):151-61.
Sharon Gretz: Using Sign Language With Children Who Have Apraxia of Speech: Availabe online at http://www.apraxia-kids.org/topics/sign.html.
Dr. Edelson's article is available online at http://www.autism.org/sign.html.
Down Syndrome
Watson, Claire S-LP, (1996) Total Communication Options for Children with Down Syndrome in the Context of Hanen Programs for Parents. Wig Wag Winter 1996. Available online at http://www.altonweb.com/cs/downsyndrome/watson.html
Hopmann, Marita R., (1993) The Use of Signs by Children with Down Syndrome. Down Syndrome Today Volume 2, Number 2, 22-3. Available online at http://www.csdsa.org/artsigns.htm
Donovan, Claire S-LP, (1998) Teaching Sign Language, Disability Solutions, Volume 2, Issue 5, January/February 1998. Available online at http://www.teleport.com/~dsolns/volume2-5.htm
Miller J F, Sedey A, Miolo G, Rosin M, Murray-Branch J (1992) Vocabulary acquisition in young children with Down syndrome: Speech and sign Paper presented at the 9th World Congress of the International Association for the Scientific Study of Mental Deficiency. Queensland Australia August 1992.
Reading Disabilities
Blackburn, D., Vonvillian, J., and Ashby, R. (January 1984). Manual Communication as an Alternative Mode of Language Instruction for Children with Severe Reading Disabilities. Language, Speech and Hearing Services in Schools, 15, 22-31.
Carney, J., Cioffi, G., and Raymond, W. (Spring 1985). Using Sign Language For Teaching Sight Words. Teaching Exceptional Children. 214-217.
Vernon, M., Coley, J., Hafer, J., and Dubois, J. (April 1980). Using Sign Language to Remediate Severe Reading Problems. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 13, 215-218.
Sensenig, L., Topf, B., and Mazeika, E. (June 1989). Sign Language Facilitation of Reading with Students Classified as Trainable Mentally Handicapped. Education and Training of the Mentally Retarded, 121-125.
Children in Hospital Settings
Hall, SS Weatherly KS, (1989) Using sign language with tracheotomized infants and children, Pediatric Nurse, Jul-Aug: 15(4): 362-7. Available online at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=2587090&dopt=Abstract
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