When children are born with severe hearing impairments, they are often taught American sign language or some other manual language. Some parents regularly use a manual language to communicate with these children. When a manual language is used regularly in the home, children with hearing impairments show language development that:
A) Is significantly delayed compared to that of hearing children
B) Is similar to that of children who are raised with little or no exposure to any language
C) Follows a distinctly different sequence of development than is true for the development of spoken language in hearing children
D) Closely resembles the typical sequence and timing of spoken language development in hearing children

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Children with hearing impairments who are exposed regularly to a manual language like American Sign Language (ASL) show language development that closely resembles the typical sequence and timing of spoken language development in hearing children. This includes the acquisition of a first sign, the development of vocabulary, and the formation of simple sentences, paralleling the stages of spoken language development.

When Children Are Born with Severe Hearing Impairments, They Are