30th Annual Student Research Conference
The effectiveness of an introduction to sign language course on pre-professional health students' deaf awareness in a health care setting
Mackenzie G. Jones
Dr. Janice Clark and Ms. Sheila Garlock, Faculty Mentors
An Introduction to Sign Language for Future Health Professionals course was offered to Truman State University undergraduate students during the 2017 spring semester. Its purpose was to increase pre-professional health students? awareness and knowledge of Deaf and hard of hearing populations, sign language, and effective communication strategies within a health care setting. This was an interdisciplinary student-initiated course that combined aspects from Communication Disorders, Health Science, and medicine. The lessons focused on sign language and deaf awareness training specifically for a health care setting. The evaluation of the students? progress and change in knowledge included an online quantitative pre- and post-test, an in-class qualitative test, and instructor analysis of class discussion and activity effectiveness. This poster presentation will review the results of the evaluations and offer recommendations for future student-initiated courses, undergraduate deaf awareness training, and further research regarding this topic.
Keywords: Sign language, Deaf awareness, Health Science, Communication Disorders, Interdisciplinary, Student-initiated course
Topic(s):Health Science
Communication Disorders
Interdisciplinary
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: 10-
Location: GEO - SUB
Time: