- -- PRELIMINARY RESULTS: NATIONAL SURVEY OF BIBI PROGRAMS IN THE UNITED STATES Dr. Carol LaSasso, Professor Mr. Timothy Anderson, Ph.D. Student Ms. Beverly Buchanan, Ph.D. Student Ms. Jana Lollis, Ph.D. Student Ms. Patricia Martin, Ph.D. Student Ms. Amy Wilson, Ph.D. Student Presentation William C. Stokoe and the Study of Signed Languages National Conference October 16,1999 Gallaudet University Kellogg Conference Center Washington D.C. Email Contact: carol.lasasso@gallaudet.edu
ABSTRACT A fairly recent development in the education of deaf students in the United States is the emergence of bilingual-bicultural BiBi) programs for deaf students. Research related to the extent and characteristics of BiBi programs is limited. Strong 1995) identified 7 BiBi programs in the U.S. The purpose of this study was to determine how many educational programs in the U.S. currently describe themselves as BiBi and to describe characteristics of those programs related to: the language of instruction, how English is conveyed conversationally to deaf students, American Sign Language ASL) abilities of teachers and staff, curriculum content, nature of reading instruction, program evaluation methods, and networking strategies. During Spring and Summer, 1999, a four-page questionnaire with 20 questions was sent to all residential and day programs and other programs with more than 60 deaf students in the United States. Currently, questionnaires from more than 90% of the residential plus day schools listed in the 1998 AAD have been returned. Eighteen BiBi programs, serving approximately 4400 students have been identified. Preliminary results indicate considerable variability among programs in terms of when the programs were implemented, ASL abilities of teachers and staff, how English is conveyed to students, existence and contents of formal curricula, the age at which reading instruction is initiated, frameworks for reading instruction, formal program evaluation, and extent and nature of networking with other BiBi programs. l
SUMMARY: PRELIMINARY FINDINGS 1. A comparison of Bibi programs identified by Strong 1995) and the present study. StrongJl995) Present Study 1999) Californa Fremont) SID Californa Fremont) SID Alaska SID Austine SID VT) Governor Baxter SID Kansas SID Katzenbach SID New Mexico SID Ohio SID Metro Deaf School Minn) Mississippi New Mexico South Carolina SID Wisconsin SID 2. Number and Proportion of Programs Self-Described as BiBi DAY SCHOOLS 2/15 130/0) RESIDENTIAL 16/63 250/0) TOTAL 18/78 23%) 3. Virtually all programs self-described as BiBi are day schools or residential programs with 85,10being residential schools 4. 33% of BiBi programs currently have deaf superintendents
Research Questions, cont. j. What proportions of faculty and support staff have fluent, moderate, or weak ASL skills? k. Has ASL training been provided; if so, what type of training, and what are the characteristics of those who provided the training? I. Is data being collected to evaluate the effectiveness of the BiBi program, and if so, what types of data? m. How are faculty and students' sign abilities evaluated? n. Is there a formal bicultural component in the program? o. What are the characteristics of the BiBi curriculum, including the grade levels addressed by the curriculum, content of the curriculum, and input sought for the curriculum? p. Do BiBi programs network with other programs, and if so, how? DATA COLLECTION o 1998 AAD Program Directory used to identify programs o 4-page questionnaire was developed and faxed to all day/residential schools and other instructional programs serving at least 60 deaf students DATA BASE Day and Residential Schools Only) Number and Proportion of Day/Residential Schools Responding to the Survey NUMBER % OF PROGRAMS DAY SCHOOLS 10/15 67%) RESIDENTIAL 61/63 97% ) TOTAL 71/78 91 0/0)
SUMMARY: PRELIMINARY FINDINGS 1. A comparison of Bibi programs identified by Strong 1995) and the present study. Stron!! 1995) Californa Fremont) SID Present Stud Californa Fremont) SID Alaska SID Austine SID VT) Governor Baxter SID Kansas SID Katzenbach SID New Mexico SID Ohio SID Metro Deaf School Minn) Mississippi New Mexico South Carolina SID Wisconsin SID ' 2. Number and Proportion of Programs Self-Described as BiBi DAY SCHOOLS 2/15 13% ) RESIDENTIAL 16/63 250/0) TOTAL 18/78 23% ) 3. Virtually all programs self-described as BiBi are day schools or residential programs with 85% being residential schools 4. 330/0of BiBi programs currently have deaf superintendents {
Summary: Preliminary Findings, cont. 5. The 4377 children currently served in BiBi programs is 31% of the 14,310 children currently served in day/residential programs and 90/0of all deaf children in the U.S. Numbers supplied by the Gallaudet Research Institute) 6. More than 25% of programs currently not self-described as BiBi state that they are considering becoming BiBi; 10.10indicated that after considering it, they decided against it 7. While 88% of the programs indicate English is conveyed by print, 44.10 indicate it is conveyed via fingerspelling and 330/0indicate it is conveyed via MCE systems more than one response could be checked) 8. All but one program indicated that ASL vs English or another traditionally spoken language) is intended to be Ll for students 9. All but one program implemented BiBi with the ENTIRE program versus only lower or upper grade levels first) 10. Implementation of BiBi programs occurred between 1989 and 1998; Only three programs indicated they were implemented subsequent to 1995 11. 44% of the programs describe their framework to reading instruction as Whole Language while 19.10cite basal reader; 56% describe their orientation as a mixture of basal plus whole language 12. 83.10begin reading instruction before age 6, while 17% begin reading instruction at age 7-8 13. 44% of BiBi programs rate at least 1/2 of their instructional staff as being LESS THAN FLUENT ASL users; 25.10of the programs rate at least 1/4 of the instructional staff as having WEAK ASL abilities; 50% of programs rate at least 1/4 of their support staff as having WEAK ASL abilities
-- - Summary: Preliminary Findings, cont. 14. Major influences programs cited for switching to a BiBi philosophy using top 2 ranks) were the following note: some programs used ranks 1-2 more than once) 440/0 33..10 22% 50% 33% 75..10 28% Linguistic theory e.g., Cummins) Research findings Parents wanted it Deaf Community wanted it Teachers wanted it Administrators wanted it Students wanted it 15. All programs indicate they provide ASL training; 50..10indicate they have formal evaluations of ASL abilities typically the SCPI) 16. 33..10of programs indicate there is a formal bicultural component to the curriculum. 17. Only 17% of programs indicate there is a BiBi curriculum with annual goals and suggested strategies and materials 18. 440/0of programs indicate they network with other BiBi programs via conferences, email, phone, fax, etc.