A Computer-based HIV and STI Curriculum for Deaf High School Students

描述（由申请人提供）：拟议的项目将利用定性（剧院测试）和定量数据（前和后测试）开发一个原型的计算机为基础的艾滋病毒课程在美国手语，以满足聋人高中学生的文化，语言和具体的学习需求。青少年和年轻人感染艾滋病毒的风险很高，而且持续存在。失聪青年由于无法获得听力年龄同龄人通常可获得的艾滋病毒信息，面临特别的风险。部分原因是他们的阅读水平普遍较低。聋哑青年由于其性风险行为、文化规范和学校艾滋病毒预防计划不足，也面临着更高的艾滋病毒风险。我们的研究小组最近对美国15所聋人高中的700多名聋人学生进行了艾滋病知识和危险行为调查，结果表明聋人高中学生的艾滋病知识水平较低，并从事高危性行为。学习风格和文化差异以及语言差异（使用美国手语）使得有必要为这类学生调整课程。目前，没有满足聋哑高中生具体学习和语言需求的艾滋病毒预防课程。原型课程将改编自一个以证据为基础的青年艾滋病毒课程。它将提高对艾滋病毒传播的认识，并发展谈判技能和决策战略，以减少聋哑高中生的风险。该原型将在聋哑学生的高中课堂上进行实地测试。将通过对学生知识、技能和态度的前后测试以及接受程度的评估来评估原型的初步成效。通过对现场测试中收集的定性和定量指标的分析结果，评估用美国手语创建一个全面的基于计算机的艾滋病毒课程的可行性和可接受性。这种艾滋病毒课程将满足聋哑学生的具体学习需要。这样，它还将满足聋哑学生教师对针对其学生的文化和语言课程的需求。 公共卫生相关性：艾滋病毒感染是青年和青少年的一个持续问题;失聪青年由于艾滋病毒知识低、高危行为和缺乏满足其具体学习、文化和语言需求的适当艾滋病毒课程，面临特别的风险。拟议的项目将根据青年循证艾滋病毒课程改编，以美国手语开发一个基于计算机的艾滋病毒课程原型，以满足聋哑学生的需要。这一课程在充分发展后，将提高对艾滋病毒传播的认识，并发展谈判技能和决策战略，以减少聋哑高中生的风险。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The proposed project will utilize qualitative (theatre testing) and quantitative data (pre and post tests) to develop a prototype of a computer-based HIV curriculum in American Sign Language to meet the cultural, linguistic and specific learning needs of deaf high school students. Adolescents and young adults are at high and continuing risk of HIV infection. Deaf youth are at particular risk due to lack of access to HIV information commonly available to their hearing age peers. This is, in part, due to their generally low reading levels. Deaf youth are also at increased HIV risk due to their sexual risk behaviors, cultural norms, and inadequate school-based HIV prevention programs. Results from an HIV knowledge and risk behavior survey of over 700 deaf students who attend 15 deaf high schools throughout the US recently conducted by our research team, indicate that students at deaf high schools have low levels of HIV knowledge and engage in high-risk sexual behaviors. Learning style and cultural differences as well as linguistic differences (use of American Sign Language) make it necessary to adapt curricula for this group of students. Currently there are no HIV prevention curricula available that meet the specific learning and language needs of deaf high school students. The prototype curriculum will be adapted from an evidence-based HIV curriculum for youth. It will enhance knowledge about HIV transmission, and develop negotiation skills and decision making strategies for risk reduction among deaf high school students. The prototype will be field tested in classes at high schools for deaf students. Preliminary effectiveness of the prototype will be assessed through pre and post tests of student knowledge, skills and attitudes, and assessment of acceptability. The feasibility and acceptability of creating a full-scale computer-based HIV curriculum in American Sign Language will be assessed though analysis results of qualitative and quantitative measures collected during field testing. Such an HIV curriculum will meet the specific learning needs of deaf students. In doing so, it will also meet the needs of teachers of deaf students for a curriculum culturally and linguistically targeted to their students. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: HIV infection is a continuing problem for youth and adolescents; deaf youth are at particular risk due to their low HIV knowledge, high risk behaviors and lack of appropriate HIV curricula which meet their specific learning, cultural and linguistic needs. The proposed project will develop a prototype of a computer-based HIV curriculum in American Sign Language, adapted from an evidence-based HIV curriculum for youth, to meet the needs of deaf students. When fully developed, this curriculum will enhance knowledge about HIV transmission, and develop negotiation skills and decision making strategies for risk reduction among deaf high school students.