Background information

Nicola Grove, Research Information Officer, MVDP, 1980

The Research Information Service is based on my Author/Subject index of research into non-speech systems originally designed for the use of MVDP Regional Representatives and Research Group members.

When I started my research reading eighteen months ago, I used two excellent general research information sources - the British Institute of Mental Handicap Current Awareness Scheme and the Royal National Institute for the Deaf Library Information Packets as a basis from which to work.

There were two options open to me, I could draw up a list of categories which I thought were relevant and try to read any and every paper on the subject. As I hope you appreciate, this was out of the question! Or I could select papers from the RNID and BIMH lists which appeared to be relevant to sign language research and use them as a basis from which to continue reading, creating categories for my subject index as and when it seemed appropriate to do so. This was the course I adopted and in general it has paid off. However, it means that my coverage of topics is by no means exhaustive, as an example will illustrate:

Hemming et al (1979) Gaze patterns of mentally retarded adults in two contrasting environments
Am. J. Ment. Defic. 83, 6, 561-565.
This paper refers to eye contact behaviour in an institution and in a hostel setting. It refers to three obvious areas: Eye Contact - Mental Handicap: General (as opposed to Mental Handicap and Non-speech Systems) and Institutionalisation.

The first two categories already appeared in the subject index but this was the first paper I had read relevant to research on sign language, which also dealt with the effects of institutionalisation. I therefore entered this category in the subject index and checked through my existing references to see if any were relevant to it. In my subsequent reading I was then alerted to make a note of studies relating to institutionalisation and its effect on communication. I have not attempted to go back over published research and include all the papers written for example, by Professor Tizard on the subject, at present only four references are listed in this category. However, when I come to write the issue which includes this topic I shall hope to direct readers to one or two major papers on the subject for general interest.

Similarly, because I see the major focus of my task as the documenting of applied research on sign language within the treatment of communication problems, many other areas, such as the use of communication aids and symbol systems with the physically handicapped, are not covered in depth. What I attempt to do here is to give good general references, which will enable you to follow up these topics if you wish to.

Cross-Referencing

Most papers yield information relevant to more than one topic, and a cross-referencing system will operate. In general, full discussion of an article will appear where most appropriate and other references to the article will simply refer to the relevant issue. The Hemming paper referred to above would be summarised under INSTITUTIONALISATION and its findings mentioned under EYE CONTACT and the entry under MENTAL HANDICAP: GENERAL would read: See INSTITUTIONALISATION: EYE CONTACT.

Inevitably there will be a hiatus in some cases, some articles will appear as references long before their findings are fully discussed. However, you are of course free to track them down and draw your own conclusions in the interim.

Summaries

I have not read every paper listed and not every paper will be accompanied by a summary. Where the findings have implications for clinical practice, summaries are quite detailed. They are not, however, intended as substitutes for the genuine article. Reading papers is a subjective activity and I will certainly have missed points which you would pick up (in which case please let me know). I would strongly recommend your obtaining the originals of the more important papers and forming your own judgements.

There is a great danger in over-generalising results obtained with specific studies, often using precisely defined methods with a small number of subjects. Sign language research in the applied field is really in its infancy and although a number of studies suggest the emergence of certain principles which have varied application, these may well be qualified by subsequent research (eg the whole question of whether sign alone or simultaneous Sign/Speech presentations should be used with autistic subjects - see AUTISM). It is very important therefore not to take the clinical applications I have suggested as rules of thumb, but to consider them sceptically and apply them cautiously.

Terminology

I have made assumptions about your familiarity with some of the technical terms involved, which I hope are justified. I have assumed that you would adapt this information when sharing it with others who do not perhaps have a similar background. However, I do not want to make the thing unreadable by overloading you with jargon. I shall be sending out a questionnaire after the first few issues have been circulated, which I hope will help us to adapt the Service where necessary.

The system can be used to file any references which you personally want to include. If you come across any papers which I have not included which you think are relevant to sign language research, please let me know

Acknowledgements for advice and information to: Derek Sayer and Alan Haythornthwaite, Signing Experts, MVDP Training Committee: Barbara Reid, Thomas Coram Research Unit: Patricia House, Administrative Secretary, MVDP for her time and patience in presenting and typing the issues.