Exploring how deaf preschoolers learn through play and parental guidance at museums

Deaf Preschoolers' Exploratory Behaviors and Parent Guidance during Shared Museum Experiences

NIH-funded research Rochester Institute of Technology · NIH-10730874

This study looks at how deaf preschoolers play and learn in a museum with their parents, comparing their experiences to those of hearing children, to find out the best ways to support learning for deaf kids.

Quick facts

Grant typeR15 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionRochester Institute of Technology NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Rochester, United States)
Project IDNIH-10730874 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research investigates how deaf preschoolers engage in exploratory play and how their parents guide them during shared experiences in a museum setting. By observing children aged 4 to 8, the study aims to understand the differences in learning behaviors between deaf children who use signed language and hearing children who communicate verbally. The researchers will use both experimental and observational methods to analyze how these exploratory behaviors influence vocabulary and knowledge acquisition. The findings could provide insights into effective parenting strategies and educational practices for deaf children.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are preschool-aged children (4-8 years old) who are deaf or hard of hearing, along with their parents.

Not a fit: Children who are not deaf or hard of hearing may not receive direct benefits from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could enhance educational approaches and parental guidance for deaf preschoolers, improving their language acquisition and learning outcomes.

How similar studies have performed: While the exploration of learning behaviors in deaf children is a growing field, this specific approach of contrasting exploratory behaviors in different communication contexts is relatively novel.

Where this research is happening

Rochester, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.