Purpose: American Sign Language (ASL) is a visual and gestural language that is distinct from English, has its own grammar, syntax, vocabulary, and no text representation. Despite the differences between the languages, students who use ASL are typically assessed with protocols for English-speaking students, as few exist specifically for students who use ASL. Not surprisingly, prior research shows that tests administered in English to ASL students often do not provide an accurate measure of progress. This project will develop a reliable testing mechanism to evaluate deaf individuals who communicate with ASL in the areas of vocabulary knowledge and reading comprehension. Project Activities: After content is selected, mockups will be scripted to be visually appealing and easy to navigate by ASL students. Next, programming language will be authored to enable users to interact with the software, and videos will be produced to support implementation. Each of the components will be iteratively tested with students and teachers until complete. To assess implementation feasibility, the usability of the technology, and the validity of the product to provide accurate assessments, the final version of the assessments will be used in 10 classrooms over a 1-month period. Teachers will complete surveys to assess the ease of use and integration of the product within existing practices.
