Exploring alternative assessments for signing deaf candidates |
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| Authors: | Rachel O'Neill Audrey Cameron Eileen Burns Gary Quinn |
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| Institution: | 1. School of Education and Sports, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK;2. Hamilton School for the Deaf, Hamilton, UK;3. Languages and Intercultural Studies, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK |
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| Abstract: | Attitudes to sign languages or language policies are often not overtly discussed or recorded but they influence deaf young people's educational opportunities and outcomes. Two qualitative studies from Scotland investigate the provision of British Sign Language as accommodation in public examinations. The first explores the views of deaf pupils and staff about the official system for face-to-face interpretation of exam papers. The second investigates a centrally translated digital paper with embedded video questions. Discussion focuses on contrasts between the USA and UK approaches to accommodations, raising issues of standardized technical terms in signed languages, the right to respond in sign, and candidate choice. |
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| Keywords: | ASL assessment BSL deaf examinations language policy |
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