Deaf role-models for Deaf children in hearing families: a scoping review.
Angela Joy, Susan Ledger, Jill Duncan
PMID 39126697WHAT IT FOUND
Deaf role-models in early intervention improve communication and social development for Deaf children in hearing families.
Parents gain confidence and shift from viewing deafness as a deficit to a cultural identity. Formal programs are rare, and evidence is mostly qualitative.
Key findings
01Deaf children with access to role-models during early intervention show benefits in academic, language, and social development.
02Hearing parents report increased self-esteem, confidence, and positive expectations for their child after working with Deaf role-models.
03Families often develop a more positive perspective on Deafness, viewing it as a cultural difference rather than a disability.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The review found very few formalized Deaf role-model programs globally, limiting the generalizability of findings. Most included studies were qualitative or mixed-method, providing limited quantitative evidence on specific developmental outcomes. There is a lack of recent empirical research evaluating the long-term effects of Deaf role-models from the perspective of the children themselves. The review excluded literature before 2000 and non-empirical sources, potentially missing historical context or broader policy discussions.
Declared interests
The first author is a Teacher of the Deaf and doctoral candidate. The third author is also a Teacher of the Deaf with permanent conductive hearing loss and is the candidate’s supervisor. Funding was provided by an Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that all Deaf role-model programs are standardized or formally evaluated. The evidence is largely qualitative and based on a small number of studies, so specific outcomes may vary significantly depending on the program structure and the role-model's training.