Research at
Gallaudet University
2005 - 2006

Friendships Between Deaf and Hearing Children

Status: Ongoing Begin date: January 1, 2005 End date: No set date

Description

The prevalence of differences between deaf and hearing children in shared languages and communication skill development impacts typical friendship development and presents challenges to their becoming childhood friends. The purpose of this project was to identify friend relationships formed between deaf and hearing children in a pre-K classroom and to describe the dimensions of the formed friendships. Additionally, how the classroom, curricular practices, teaching strategies and parents provide the children with social interaction opportunities were observed. The children were observed during the spring 2005 semester in their classroom, the cafeteria, and on the playground. Two graduate students were the primary observers; observations occurred several times a week from one to two hour sessions at varied times of the school day in order to obtain optimal interaction opportunity. Observations and notes were made on the "Interaction Observation Form" from April through to the end of the school year in June. The project was very successful in understanding the complexities of observing interactions and identifying friendships without the benefit of videotape as part of the methodology. Although the researchers' paper and pencil observations will be fruitful, the nuance of the interaction is difficult to document. Therefore, some of the eight dimensions of friendship the investigators proposed identifying may be difficult to evaluate. However, the work to date is extremely important for carrying on further study as proposed.

Investigators