Disability DCL: Transforming the Chemistry Experience for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students via the Design, Implementation, and Evaluation of a Descriptive Sign Language Lexicon

本项目旨在通过改善聋人和听障学生在本科化学课程中的课堂体验，为国家利益服务。重要的是，该项目有可能扩大STEM的参与范围，并有助于创造一支更多样化、更具全球竞争力的STEM劳动力队伍。D/HH学生追求STEM职业的最大挑战之一是缺乏正式的STEM标志术语。因此，通过正式的标志整合，改善化学教室文化，使其更具包容性和对D/HH学生的欢迎，这是该项目的核心。该创新项目旨在开发和实施直观地传达概念和术语的化学符号，以便：(i)增加D/HH学生在各种化学课程中的认知和情感收获，（ii）当教师和口译团队促进STEM符号的合并时，改善D/HH课堂文化和包容实践，以及（iii）改善D/HH社区化学术语的标准化和传播。该项目的成功将有助于更好地理解向D/HH学生教授科学的方式，并可能为听觉学习者的教育实践提供信息。该项目旨在解决作为博士/硕士学生学习化学的挑战，特别是在化学课程中缺乏形式化的符号词典。该项目的目标将是：(1)开发通用、有机和生物化学课程的符号词典，直观地传达这些课程中教授的概念和术语；(2)维持在D/HH学生和口译员中持续使用新化学符号的方法；(3)将新开发的标识分发给STEM社区的D/HH学生、教师和口译员；(4)评价和评估努力的有效性，因为它们与D/HH学生在化学课程序列中注册时的成功、自我效能、科学认同和归属感有关。将结合使用数量和质量评价工具来处理形成性和总结性评价和评价活动。该项目的成果将通过研讨会、同行评议出版物、会议报告和ASLcore网站广泛传播，以增进科学和技术的理解。NSF IUSE: EDU项目支持研究和开发项目，以提高所有学生STEM教育的有效性。通过参与学生学习轨道，该计划支持有前途的实践和工具的创建，探索和实施。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project aims to serve the national interest by improving the classroom experience for Deaf and Hard of Hearing (D/HH) students in their undergraduate chemistry courses. Importantly, this project has the potential to broaden participation in STEM and contribute to creating a more diverse, globally competitive STEM workforce. One of the greatest challenges for D/HH students pursuing STEM careers is the lack of formalized STEM sign terminology. Thus, improving the chemistry classroom culture to become more inclusive and welcoming of D/HH students through formalized sign incorporation is central to this project. The innovative project aims to develop and implement chemistry signs that intuitively convey the concepts and terms in order to: (i) increase cognitive and affective gains among D/HH students in a variety of chemistry courses, (ii) improve D/HH classroom culture and inclusion practices when the faculty and interpreter teams facilitate STEM sign incorporation, and (iii) improve standardization and propagation of chemistry terminology within the D/HH community. The project’s success will afford a greater understanding of the manner in which science is taught to D/HH students and potentially inform education practices for auditory learners. The project intends to address the challenges associated with learning chemistry as a D/HH student, particularly as it pertains to the lack of a formalized sign lexicon in chemistry courses. The goals of the project will be to: (1) develop sign lexicons for general, organic, and biochemistry courses that intuitively convey the concepts and terms taught in these courses; (2) sustain a method for continual use of the new chemistry signs among D/HH students and interpreters; (3) distribute the newly developed signs to D/HH students, instructors, and interpreters in the STEM community; and (4) evaluate and assess the effectiveness of efforts as they relate to D/HH student success, self-efficacy, science identity, and sense of belonging while enrolled in the chemistry course sequence. A combination of quantitative and qualitative assessment tools will be used to address both formative and summative evaluation and assessment activities. The results of the project will be disseminated broadly to enhance scientific and technological understanding via workshops, peer-reviewed publication, conference presentations, and the ASLcore website. The NSF IUSE: EDU Program supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students. Through the Engaged Student Learning track, the program supports the creation, exploration, and implementation of promising practices and tools.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.