What communication environment is best for a deaf child?
Annie Steinberg and colleagues in Philadelphia investigated the preferences of 20 parents who had to make decisions shortly after diagnosis of deafness concerning the child’s method of communication and educational placement. Their preferences over the four major types of outcome (attributes) identified varied considerably and were uncorrelated with the decision that the child receive a cochlear implant.
Attributes
- Academic achievement
- Social life
- Communication
- Emotional well-being
Options
Oral environment
ASL environment
Total communication environment
Ratings
Default and equal on all attributes so have no evidential or even judgmental basis
Weightings
Mean weightings as reported in personal communication; Standard Deviations were respectively .077, .055, .105 and .089
Scores
Reflect default Ratings so have no evidential basis
Source
 | Annie Steinberg, Ada Brainsky, Lisa Bain, Louise Montoya, Miriam Indenbaum, William Potsic 2000 “Parental values in the decision about cochlear implantation” International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology 55: 99-107 |
