American Annals of the Deaf

Discussion and study of the social-emotional development of deaf and hard of hearing children, though extensive, has yet to provide an accurate understanding of the differences between deaf and hearing children. Consequently, the goal of the researchers was to conduct a profile analysis to determine similarities and differences between the two groups. The sample consisted of 20 hearing and 20 deaf children ages 8–11 years. All of the deaf children were enrolled in a Simultaneous Communication magnet program. Significant differences were found in two areas: school interest and on-task behavior. Overall, however, data from the study showed few differences between hearing and deaf children. The researchers recommend that current interventions be reconsidered on the basis of these results.