Software for Math Education for the Deaf

聋人数学教育软件

• 批准号: 0622900
• 负责人: Ronnie Wilbur
• 金额: $ 30万
• 依托单位: Purdue University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2006
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2006-12-01 至 2011-11-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0622900&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Software; Math; Education; Deaf

Objectives: The objectives for this project include reducing the achievement gap between theperformance of students with learning disabilities and their non-disabled peers in math;enhancing the math preparation of individuals with LD to enter postsecondary institutions topursue programs and degrees in math, science, engineering, and technology; and the nationaldissemination of instructional resources in the form of lessons and online tutorials aligned withcurriculum standards that have been validaAbstractDeaf education, specifically in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), is a pressing nationalproblem. Our project addresses the need to increase deaf children's abilities in math with a uniqueapproach (realistic and grammatically correct 3D animated signing) that significantly improves on thestate of the art by creating emotionally appealing fluid 3D signers, a factor that plays a decisive role inlearning for deaf students. Mathsigner software is designed to engage deaf learners and their parents in"hands-on, minds-on" experiences, leading to deeper understanding of fundamental ideas in accordancewith current No Child Left Behind and general curricular guidelines.The general goal of the project is to develop and evaluate animation-based software to increase: (1)opportunities for deaf children to learn via interactive media; (2) effectiveness of (hearing) parents inassisting with the education of their deaf children; and (3) effectiveness of teachers for deaf children.Intellectual MeritThis project addresses a critical need. Research demonstrates that deaf individuals are significantlyunderrepresented in the fields of science and engineering (Burgstahler 1994). Historically, it has beendifficult for them to gain entry into higher education that leads to STEM careers (Caccamise & Lang1996). Several factors contribute to this disparity: (1) significant delay in deaf children's literacy; (2)difficulty in conveying in sign language basic science/mathematical concepts, a task for which there arecurrently no tools; and (3) the inaccessibility to incidental learning (exposure to media in whichmathematical concepts are practiced and reinforced). Deaf children lack access to many sources ofinformation (e.g. radio, conversations around the dinner table) and their incidental learning suffers.Consequently some mathematical concepts that hearing children learn incidentally in everyday life have tobe explicitly taught to deaf pupils. Our software will fill this void.The Mathsigner project is unique because it seeks to: (1) use advanced technology to teachmathematics to signing K-6 deaf students; (2) provide equal access and opportunities by overcomingknown deficiencies in math education as reflected in the under-representation of deaf people in fieldsrequiring math skills; and (3) provide a model for teaching technology for deaf people in general that cancontribute to improving deaf education around the globe. The project is informed by advanced linguisticresearch on American Sign Language structure and grammatical use of facial expressions.We have assembled an expert team to accomplish this goal. Professor Adamo-Villani, PurdueDepartment of Computer Graphics Technology, is an award-winning graphic designer/animator andcreator of 2D and 3D animations aired on national television. She initiated the development of teachingtechnologies for deaf children using advanced computer animation techniques and outlined the matheducation program itself. Professor Wilbur, Purdue Department of Speech, Language and HearingSciences, is internationally known for her research on American Sign Language (ASL) and its relevance toimproving deaf education and literacy. The Indiana School for the Deaf is a fully accredited school and anational resource center. It is recognized nationally for its leadership in education, its advocacy ofAmerican Sign Language and being the first ted to improve the achievement of students with LD .This proposal builds from a major internally funded project identified as the BlendingAssessment with Instruction Program (BAIP) that is comprised of two validated interventions inthe form of lessons for teachers to employ in their instruction and online tutorials forindependent use by students with LD. Both interventions are aligned with curriculum standardsin math. The research initiative is designed to investigate the effects of the lessons and thetutorials on the achievement of students with LD in math.Significance and Intellectual Merit of Research: National Center for Educational Outcomesreported in 2004 that not only were students with LD performing below all students across thecountry, but also that the gap actually grew significantly larger as students got older (Thurlow &Wiley, 2004). Research has found that students with LD typically function two to four gradesbelow expectancy across the mathematics curriculum (Parmar & Cawley, 1997). Many studentswith LD perform poorly on assessments that are tied to state standards (Thurlow, Albus,Spicuzza, & Thompson, 1998). Thurlow et al determined that only 34% of students with LDpassed a state test on basic math skills, versus 83% of their non-disabled peers. This is ofserious concern given that students with LD are held to increasingly higher standards and willneed higher-level math and reasoning skills to meet the demands of high school and beyond. Inless than 20 years, one in every four jobs will require technical skills (Tarlin, 1997, as cited inJarrett, 1998), and many careers require a strong basis in math. If students do not experience astandards-based curriculum at an early age, they will be disadvantaged when being assessedvia a standards-based assessment as required by NCLB. To focus only on postsecondaryinterventions to increase the presence of persons with LD in math, science and technologycareers fails to recognize what research demonstrates as the contributor to the underrepresentationof persons with LD in the math, science and technology fields.Research Strategy: We propose to research the effects of BAIP in aligning local curricula withnational curriculum standards and statewide assessments as a model for improving the performance of students with LD. The lessons and tutorials are developed for grades 3, 4, 5, 6,7, 8, and 10 in compliance with NCLB. Two distinct empirical approaches are planned. First,lesson tests will be directly tied to content. These tests will be piloted to assure their validity andreliability. Once quality tests are available, they will be administered prior to and followinglesson use with targeted students. In concurrence with this "experimental group" testing, we willpre and post test other comparable students with the same measures. As we will not be able tocontrol for group equivalence due to the absence of randomization to intervention, and alsoconsidering that the pre and post test measures will not be equivalent, analysis of covarianceprocedures will be used to control "pre-lesson" instructional group differences. This method willbe used within schools and as numbers of participants increase will carry out more robustempirical studies relying on hierarchical linear modeling. Thus in six months we will quasiexperimentallyresearch the impact on learning of the lessons. Finally, student item scoreresults will be evaluated descriptively to guide us regarding needed lesson changes.Comparisons will be made across students with LD who experience (a) the lessons taught byteachers, (b) tutorials, (c) lessons and (d) tutorials with disability and non-disabled peers.Broader Implications of Proposed Research: The vast majority of students with LD receivetheir math instruction in the general education classroom. Thus, the project has the potential tobenefit all teachers and, ultimately, all students.