Abstract In China, the rehabilitation-oriented early intervention system predominantly promotes oral language for deaf children, yet little is known about how hearing parents experience communication decision-making within this context. This study explored the experiences of twelve hearing parents through semi-structured interviews analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Four themes were produced: (a) oral rehabilitation discourse dominated parents’ initial decisions, with sign language absent from the information environment; (b) structural barriers—including the absence of courses, financial costs, and institutional resistance—constrained access to sign language resources; (c) parents encountered conflicting professional advice that generated confusion and distress; and (d) parents who later encountered deaf communities retrospectively reappraised their earlier decisions, often with profound regret. The findings reveal that communication choices were shaped less by informed parental deliberation than by institutional channeling, and underscore the need for balanced information, publicly funded sign language education, and early contact with deaf adults.
Abstract Interpreter shortages have led some school districts to substitute Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) captioning technology in place of qualified interpreters for deaf students. This mixed methods case study examined whether Zoom’s embedded automatic captioning provides equivalent educational access to sign language interpreting for ASL-using deaf learners. Four deaf adults with high English literacy participated in a mixed-methods case study comparing comprehension outcomes across two conditions: video-based instruction with a live ASL interpreter and video-based instruction with Zoom’s real-time automatic captions. Comprehension was assessed using pre- and post-tests across six video stimuli representing multiple content areas and K-12 grade levels. Both conditions produced learning gains; however, the interpreting condition yielded substantially greater improvements (mean gain = 41.7%, Cohen’s d = 3.15) compared to the captioning condition (mean gain = 18.7%, d = 1.13), with the between-condition difference reaching statistical significance (p = .024). Participants consistently reported that captions were too rapid, prone to disorienting autocorrections, and imposed unmanageable dual-attention demands. Findings suggest that automatic captioning, even under acoustically controlled conditions, does not provide equivalent access to ASL interpreting for deaf students and may substantially diminish learning opportunities. Policy implications for Free and Appropriate Public Education compliance and educational accommodation planning are discussed.
Abstract Hearing children of Deaf adults (Codas) navigate two distinct worlds: the sign language of home and the spoken language of society. Drawing on an extensive literature review and life histories, this Family and Practitioner Brief examines the indirect prejudice and structural barriers that Codas face across social spaces. It outlines five core experiential themes shaping Coda development, highlighting how these youth transform their bilingual and bicultural heritage into personal resilience and agency. Finally, it provides actionable recommendations for social workers, educators, and policymakers to shift from a medical deficit framework toward empowering, systemic family support.
Abstract This study examined associations between deaf identity configurations and internalized oppression among deaf adults in Poland (N = 134). Participants completed the Deaf Identity Development Scale and the Deaf Oppression Scale. Bicultural Identity was negatively associated with internalized ableism, audism, and linguicism (all ps < .001), whereas Hearing-aligned and Marginal Identities were positively associated with all three dimensions of internalized oppression (all ps < .001). Deaf-centered Identity was not significantly associated with any dimension of internalized oppression. An exploratory latent-variable model examined the direction of these associations while considering the three dimensions of oppression jointly and produced a pattern consistent with the correlational findings. Overall, stronger Bicultural Identity predicted lower internalized oppression, whereas stronger Hearing-aligned and Marginal Identities predicted higher internalized oppression. These findings are discussed in relation to deaf community cultural wealth and the cultural and social resources that may shape the relationship between deaf identity and internalized oppression.
