Early Intervention and Its Effect on Malaysian Sign Language Acquisition among Children with Hearing Loss: A Case Study

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to examine the Malaysian Sign Language competency of children with hearing loss of parents with hearing loss. Many parents with hearing loss believe that their children with hearing loss would be able to acquire language competency in any environment without the need for proper early language acquisition intervention. In reality, this is not the case. Therefore, it is appropriate that children with hearing loss receive assistance in language learning, especially from their parents in acquiring both sign and spoken languages, via early intervention education so that they will be sufficiently competent in at least one language by the time they reach school age. The children in this study were observed in three individual learning activity sessions for their responses to the Early Intervention Program worker. Their responses were analyzed together with supplementary data obtained from their parents’ interview and observation reports. The investigation into the effect of input on sign language acquisition would involve comparing and describing the development of the Malaysian Sign Language in children with hearing loss from two different linguistic environments. One is an environment where the child is exposed to constant daily sign language input, and the other is an environment of limited sign language input. The findings reveal that the children with hearing loss who had early intervention on sign language acquisition have acquired better Malaysian Sign Language in terms of expressive and receptive skills.