Tim tells a couple stories about himself when he was a toddler....
How do role models impact the lives of deaf individuals?
Role Models as Facilitators of Social Capital for Deaf Individuals: A Research Synthesis
Deaf individuals often experience barriers such as negative attitudes, prejudice, and reduced accessibility in school and work environments. The purpose of this article was to explore the unique contributions role models can provide for individuals who are deaf. We reviewed and summarized findings from role models research and identified four key themes across the literature. Our findings suggest that role models for deaf individuals seem to influence personal development that positively impacts achievement in academics and employment.
Assessing English literacy as a predictor of postschool outcomes in the lives of Deaf individuals
National statistics show that deaf adults often do not experience success in adult life on the same level as in the general population in these three areas: life, employment, and education. Many people, including researchers, believe that negative outcomes happen because deaf people have low English literacy skills.
In order to assess whether deaf students’ English skills predicted their outcomes in adult life, the authors conducted a secondary analysis using data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2). Results show that the standardized measures of English literacy did predict some of the outcomes in this study, yet to differing degrees.
Deaf individuals with higher literacy skills were more likely to live independently and had more positive self-beliefs, but the impact of English literacy on these outcomes was small. English skills did not play a role in employment or job satisfaction, but did predict higher hourly wages to a small extent. In educational settings, deaf individuals with higher English skills were more likely to enroll in college but not any more likely to complete their education.
It appears that school-based English literacy skills are not necessarily a comprehensive predictor of successful adult life experiences for deaf individuals. It is also important to consider that standardized measures of English may not fully capture how deaf individuals navigate the world.
