Sign Language And Spoken Language Development In Normal Hearing Children, Children With Mild To Moderate Hearing Impairments, And Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Review Of The Literature

The influence of sign language on spoken language development has been extensively studied in typically developing children for many years. However, less is known about the influence of sign language on spoken language development for those with a mild hearing loss, or those with autism spectrum disorder. The goal of this thesis is to review the literature regarding the influence of sign language on spoken language development for those with mild hearing impairments, and those with autism spectrum disorder, in addition to those with normal hearing. Consistent with previous work, our review suggests that the presence of a signed language system neither helps, nor impairs spoken language development for those with normal hearing. However, exposure to sign language in addition to spoken language may improve verbal communication in children with autism spectrum disorder. There is insufficient data to determine the influence of sign language exposure on spoken language development for those with a mild to moderate hearing impairment.