TWO (2) DOCTORAL RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS: LANGUAGE AND LITERACY
RESEARCH ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE AMERICAN SIGNED LANGUAGE ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENT
 
The Center for the Study of Communication and the Deaf and the Programs in Deaf Studies at Boston University will have two doctoral research fellowships available beginning September 1, 2011. The fellowship is partially supported by the National Center for Special Education Research, a division of the Institute for Educational Sciences and Boston University’s School of Education.
We have received four years of funding to develop an assessment of the American Signed Language knowledge in Deaf students. The project entitled Assessing ASL Knowledge and its Relationship to English Reading in Deaf Children is based on the proposal that fluency and knowledge of American sign language will facilitate the development of English as a 2nd language for many Deaf children.   Our primary goal is to develop an American Sign Language (ASL) assessment instrument, the ASLAI, to identify those Deaf children who are proceeding along a normal developmental path, those children who may need intervention due to either a language delay, a language problem or another problem, such as a learning disability.  It is our hope that the ASLAI will help to maximize the capabilities of Deaf children to support learning in school.
Qualifications:
1)     Required: Completed Undergraduate degree in education, linguistics, psychology, or other liberal arts areas or related fields. Preferred: Completed Master’s degree in education, linguistics, psychology, other liberal arts areas or related fields
2)     Native user of American Sign Language
3)     Strong organizational skills.
4)     Evidence of team interaction skills and ability to work independently with minimal direction.
5)     Knowledge of the linguistic, social, cultural, and developmental aspects of the lives of Deaf people.
6)     Minimum knowledge of computer: word processing, spreadsheets
7)     Background in American Sign Language teaching and/or research preferred
8)     Skills in ASL transcription preferred
9)     Willing to learn
10)   Must be willing to travel
 
Salary: 
The position* is for 10 months a year with the possibility of summer work and includes a $20,000 stipend depending on background. In addition, free tuition to pursue a doctorate at Boston University. Those who are interested in Boston University’s Programs in Literacy, Language and Cultural Studies or Applied Linguistics will have preference.
 
Contact:
Send Vitae and letter of intent to:
Robert J. Hoffmeister, PhD
Director, Center for the Study of Communication and the Deaf
621 Commonwealth Ave
Boston University
Boston, MA 02215
Phone:          617 353 3205/5191  v/tty
                        617 353 3292  fax
email:  rhoff@bu.edu