The Impact of Sign Language on Visual Attention and the Development of the American Sign Language Test Battery

Abstract

This dissertation presents two projects aimed at advancing accessibility in research and education for D/deaf individuals. The first applied a dual task paradigm to American Sign Language (ASL) letter signs to examine whether deafness or ASL experience alters divided attention. Deaf signers, Children of Deaf Adults (CODAs), and Hearing Non-Signers all showed moderate costs when dividing attention between two letters, with no group differences. This divided attention cost, observed equally across all groups, highlights the need to incorporate what is known about attention in D/deaf individuals when designing classrooms and other learning environments to ensure they are accessible. The second project developed the American Sign Language Test Battery (ASLTB), a low-cost, self- administered online screening tool that minimizes reliance on English and does not require ASL-fluent experimenters. Strong correlations with self-reported fluency and validated measures of ASL receptive skills support its effectiveness for inclusive participant recruitment. By lowering logistical and expertise barriers, the ASLTB enables more representative sampling and supports research that better reflects the diversity of ASL users. Together, these projects advance understanding of divided attention in a diverse deaf group and provide the beginnings of a practical tool for more inclusive ASL research.