Specialized Communication Modalities and Linguistic Diversity Flashcards

What is Conceptually Accurate Signed English (CASE), and how does it differ from SEE?

Answer: CASE uses English word order with ASL signs chosen for conceptual accuracy rather than English morpheme-by-morpheme coding, unlike SEE which codes each English morpheme

CASE (also called PSE by some) uses ASL signs in English word order and selects signs for conceptual meaning, whereas SEE codes English morphemes individually with invented signs, making CASE more fluid and semantically driven.

Why is SimCom (simultaneous communication—speaking and signing at the same time) generally considered less effective for Deaf consumers?

Answer: Producing speech and ASL simultaneously forces compromises in both modalities, typically degrading ASL grammar and reducing overall message accuracy

Research shows that producing spoken English and grammatically correct ASL simultaneously is cognitively impossible; one or both modalities suffer degradation, most often ASL grammar, reducing message accuracy for Deaf consumers.

Which communication modality is most commonly used in Deaf-Blind communities that have adopted the ProTactile philosophy?

Answer: A touch-based, body-centered communication system that uses the receiver's body as a communication field for spatial and environmental information

ProTactile communication uses the receiver's body as a field for conveying information, including back-channels on the knee, spatial grammar on the hand/arm, and environmental descriptions through touch.

When a CDI is preparing to work with a Deaf consumer who is known to use a language variety the CDI is less familiar with (e.g., a regional dialect or Black ASL), what is the most ethical course of action?

Answer: Disclose the limitation to the referral agency and consumer, seek guidance or a more qualified CDI if needed, and if proceeding, allocate extra preparation and check-in time with the consumer

Ethical practice requires transparency about limitations; the CDI must disclose reduced familiarity, allow stakeholders to make an informed decision, and take preparatory steps to serve the consumer as well as possible.

What does the term 'language deprivation' refer to in the context of CDI practice?

Answer: The absence of timely, accessible language input during the critical period of language acquisition, which can result in incomplete first-language acquisition

Language deprivation occurs when a child does not receive adequate accessible language input during the critical window of development, often resulting in incomplete grammar, limited vocabulary, and cognitive-linguistic challenges that CDIs must recognize and accommodate.

A CDI is working with a Deaf consumer who uses Haitian Sign Language (LSH) and no ASL. The CDI is fluent in ASL only. What should the CDI do?

Answer: Recognize the language incompatibility, inform the agency and hearing interpreter, and advocate for a qualified LSH interpreter or International Sign interpreter

Different national sign languages are not mutually intelligible; the CDI must recognize the mismatch and advocate for an appropriately qualified interpreter rather than attempting to interpret in a language they do not know.

In the context of CDI practice, what is the significance of understanding Deaf epistemology?

Answer: It helps the CDI understand how Deaf individuals construct knowledge and meaning through visual-spatial experience, which informs how language and concepts should be rendered

Deaf epistemology—how Deaf people know and understand the world through visual-spatial experience and Deaf cultural frameworks—directly informs how a CDI should render concepts, select signs, and structure information for a Deaf consumer.