Family Reading Boy Reading

The aim of Project Emerge was to investigate issues and promising practices in the development of early literacy in young children (birth to six years) who have visual impairments.

Four research questions were used to accomplish this aim through seven proposed studies. These research questions included:

  1. What are the behavior- and language-based indicators of pre- and early literacy learning in young children with visual impairments?
  2. What factors contribute to successful conventional literacy learning by young children with visual impairments?
  3. What types of pre- and early conventional literacy instruction are teachers providing to young children with visual impairments?
  4. How are young children with visual impairments provided with access to and use of new and developing technologies as part of their early literacy experiences?

Research Question 1: What are the behavior- and language-based indicators of pre- and early literacy learning in young children with visual impairments?

Study Description Preliminary Results

Cross-sectional investigation of phonological awareness and concepts about print in 22 young children who appeared to have visual impairments only, ages 4 to 7 years

Potential braille/dual media readers had higher scores on syllable segmentation, sound isolation, and sound segmentation tasks than potential print readers. Potential print readers had higher scores on letter-sound knowledge and performed slightly better than potential braille/dual media learners on a highly visual concepts about print task.

Cross-sectional study of early literacy behaviors during parent child storybook interactions in 56 dyads

Communication and print concepts of 56 young children (average age 40 months) showed considerable variability. Children with at least 50 utterances were found to use more language when adapted unfamiliar books were read to them. Adapted books had braille and objects that were related to the specific story.

Research Question 2: What factors contribute to successful conventional literacy learning in individuals with visual impairments?

Study Description Preliminary Results

Online survey of 184 highly literate adults with visual impairments (completed four year college degree)

Retrospective interviews of

  • 34 children with visual impairments, ages 7 to 11 years, reading at or above grade level
  • their parents
  • and their teachers of children with visual impairments

Successful literacy was attributed primarily to accessibility of books and writing tools in the appropriate media and to individual practice and motivation.

Highly literate adults noted that their literacy could have been facilitated by having

  • even more accessible resources,
  • braille taught earlier,
  • families learn braille, and
  • teachers with more braille expertise.

Teachers of the highly literate children attributed their success primarily to the children’s own interest, motivation, and cognitive abilities, with about one third of the teachers also acknowledging the importance of parental support and motivation.

Research Question 3: What types of pre- and early conventional literacy instruction are teachers providing to young children with visual impairments?

Study Description Preliminary Results

Field study of exemplary early interventionists, preschool and kindergarten teachers and the practices they use to promote literacy in young children with visual impairments

Online survey of 150 teachers of young children with visual impairments

Professionals provide accessible books/resources and encourage storybook reading, promote concepts about print, promote writing in preschool and kindergarten, and indirectly promote phonological awareness.

Professionals do not directly facilitate phonological awareness and provide limited opportunities for children to write at early ages and to understand the function of print/braille.

Teachers do not appear to introduce high tech devices to children with visual impairments at very young ages.

Research Question 4: How are young children with visual impairments provided with access to and use of new and developing technologies

Study Description Preliminary Results

Retrospective interviews with teachers of 34 highly literate 7 to 11 year olds with visual impairments, reading at or above grade level

Field studies of exemplary early interventionists and teachers of young children with visual impairments

Online survey of teachers of young children with visual impairments

The 7 to 11 year old braille/dual media readers had access to braillewriters at an early age and were currently using braille writers, braille note takers, and computers for reading and writing. Only 2 of 16 braille readers used monoculars and magnifiers. Five children also used slate/styli for writing and used abacuses for math.

From our field studies, we found that most homes where early intervention is provided do not have braille writers or other assistive writing technology. Preschool and primary teachers do provide technology for writing.

From the online survey, it appears that relatively few teachers introduce high devices to at very young ages.

Pic of Deborah Hatton
  • Deborah Hatton
  • Formerly of Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute
  • Senior Scientist
  • Discipline: Education
  • Areas of Interest: Fragile X Syndrome, visual impairment and blindness, child development and autism, longitudinal research, temperament
Karen Erickson
  • Karen Erickson
  • Center for Literacy & Disability Studies
  • Research Associate
  • Discipline: Literacy
  • Areas of Interest: Augmentative communication, assistive technology, literacy assessment and instruction for students
Pic of Jeanne Murphy
  • Jeanne Murphy
  • Formerly of FPG Child Development Institute
  • Social/Clinical Research Specialist
  • Discipline: Early intervention, visual impairment
Pic of Allen Stutts

Publications

Erickson, K. A., Hatton, D. D., Roy, V., Fox, D., & Renne, D. (2007) Literacy in early intervention for children with visual impairments: Insights from individual cases. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 101(2), 80-95.

Erickson, K.A., & Hatton, D.D. (2007) Expanding our understanding of emergent literacy: Empirical support for a new framework. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 101(5).

Erickson, K. A., & Hatton, D. D. (2007) Literacy and visual impairment. Seminars in Speech and Language, 28, 58-68.

Getting in Touch With Literacy Presentations, December 2005, Denver, CO

Facilitating Communications and Emergent Literacy in Infants and Toddlers With Visual Impairments: Multimedia Resources for Professional Development
Friday, December 2, 2005
Deborah Hatton, Wendy Sapp, Jeanne Murphy, Dana Fox

Hatton, D.D., Sapp, W.K., Murphy, J.L., & Fox, D. (2005, December). Facilitating communications and emergent literacy in Infants and toddlers with visual impairments: Multimedia resources for professional development. Paper presented at the Seventh Biennial Conference on Getting in Touch With Literacy, Denver, Co.

Nature Play as Context for Emergent Literacy
Friday, December 2, 2005
Jeanne L. Murphy
DanaLee Fox

Murphy, J.L, & Fox, D. (2005, December). Nature play as context for emergent literacy. Paper presented at the Seventh Biennial Conference on Getting in Touch With Literacy, Denver, Co.

Highly Literate Individuals With Visual Impairments: Practical Applications From Research
Saturday, December 3, 2005
Deborah Hatton
Karen Erickson

Hatton, D.D., & Erickson, K. (2005, December). Highly literate individuals with visual impairments: Practical applications from research. Paper presented at the Seventh Biennial Conference on Getting in Touch With Literacy, Denver, Co.

Literacy in the Lives of Young Children: Early Intervention, Families and Storybook Reading
Saturday, December 3, 2005
Karen Erickson
Dana Fox
Deborah Hatton

Erickson, K., Fox, D., & Hatton, D.D. (2005, December). Literacy in the lives of young children: Early intervention, families and storybook reading. Paper presented at the Seventh Biennial Conference on Getting in Touch With Literacy, Denver, Co.

Promoting Literacy and Communication Learning in Students with Multiple Disabilities Including Visual Impairments, Blindness, and/or Deaf-blindness
Saturday, December 3, 2005
Karen Erickson
Dana Fox

Erickson, K., & Fox, D. (2005, December). Promoting literacy and communication learning in students with multiple disabilities including visual impairments, blindness, and/or deaf-blindness. Poster session presented at the Seventh Biennial Conference on Getting in Touch With Literacy, Denver, Co.

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Deborah Hatton
Ph: 1-866-842-2237 (toll-free)
Fx: 1-919-966-1786

Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
517 S. Greensboro St.
CB# 8040
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-8040

Project Emerge is a program of the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, funded through the US Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, Grant # H324D020047.

Updated July 23, 2009