Official websites use .gov

A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS

A lock ( 🔒 ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Need Help

Longitudinal Pathways of Sign Language Development: Tracking Growth and Intervention Outcomes in Deaf Children

Award Number: R01DC024167
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DEAFNESS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION DISORDERS
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 08/01/2026
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 06/30/2031

Group Awards By:

View Award Description

Longitudinal Pathways of Sign Language Development: Tracking Growth and Intervention Outcomes in Deaf Children - Project Summary Deaf children remain at elevated risk for persistent language delays with downstream impacts on literacy and health, even with newborn hearing screening and early intervention. Most signing deaf children move through early grades without consistent discourse-focused sign language intervention. This project will establish the first prospective, multi-site longitudinal cohort of signing deaf children followed systematically under Strategic and Interactive Signing Instruction (SISI), an intervention that develops sign language discourse and then guides translation into written English. This focus is motivated by large-scale longitudinal spoken-language research showing that discourse is a distinct dimension that uniquely predicts later literacy above and beyond vocabulary and grammar; the present study extends this principle in sign language. Approximately 500 children (ages 4-10; PreK-Grade 3) will be tracked for four years across 20 programs for the deaf. The study has three aims: (1) model growth trajectories in sign language development across ages 4-10; (2) test whether growth in sign language predicts growth in written language; and (3) identify child- and intervention-level moderators (e.g., language background, additional disabilities, dosage and fidelity) that accelerate or constrain growth. Children will contribute language samples twice annually in narrative, informational, and persuasive discourses, scored with the Sign Language Complexity Assessment (SLCA) and a parallel writing assessment. SISI fidelity will be monitored three times annually via video-recorded sessions scored with the SISI Fidelity Tool. Growth will be estimated with state-of-the-art longitudinal models. By establishing discourse-based benchmarks for expected growth, clarifying bilingual pathways, and identifying modifiable factors that shape outcomes, the study will enable earlier, more effective intervention, reducing the effects of language deprivation, and improving literacy and health.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = $538,934 )
2026	2026	UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE	201 ANDY HOLT TOWER	KNOXVILLE	TN	37996	KNOX	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	001	1	8/5/2026	NEW	$0
2026	2026	UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE	201 ANDY HOLT TOWER	KNOXVILLE	TN	37996	KNOX	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	1	8/4/2026	NEW	$538,934
														Subtotal = $538,934

Grand Total All Awards = $538,934

Top

All Categories

About

Search

Reports

Data Submission

Award Information

Longitudinal Pathways of Sign Language Development: Tracking Growth and Intervention Outcomes in Deaf Children

Award Number: R01DC024167

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DEAFNESS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION DISORDERS

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 08/01/2026

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 06/30/2031

Federal Websites

Department of Health & Human Services

HHS Operating Divisions

HHS Staff Divisions

Download A Document Viewer