The Standardized Visual Communication and Sign Language Checklist for Signing Children

Abstract

Despite efforts by both U.S. and Canadian Deaf education practitioners, the development of an American Sign Language (ASL) curriculum and related assessments has proceeded by fits and starts over the last thirty years. Using existing spoken language assessments as models, a number of checklists and assessment measures have been created, but these assessments were never widely distributed by the developers. The standardized Visual Communication and Sign Language (VCSL) Checklist for Signing Children was developed to meet the need for a comprehensive checklist of visual language development so that learning goals can be set, gaps in learning identified, and appropriate materials developed.