Literacy Skills among Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students and Students with Cochlear Implants in Bilingual/Bicultural Education

Abstract

Research has shown that many deaf students do not develop age-appropriate reading and writing abilities. This study evaluates the literacy skills of deaf students, hard of hearing students, and students with cochlear implants in bilingual/bicultural schools in Denmark. The results show that 45 per cent of the students did not have any reading and writing difficulties (i.e. they were no more than 1 year behind in school). Regression analysis models show that language abilities (either aural-oral or signed) and additional disabilities were explaining factors. Neither the level of hearing loss nor cochlear implantation was found to be significantly related to literacy skills. The results are discussed in relation to the Danish bilingual/bicultural approach in deaf education, an approach which appears to improve literacy skills among students with hearing impairment but does not eliminate all literacy difficulties.