The Effects of Captions on Deaf Students’ Contents Comprehension, Cognitive Load and Motivation in Online Learning
By Yoon, Joong-O; Choi, Heaeun; Technology and Deaf Education Symposium: Exploring Instructional and Access Technologies, June 21-23, 2010,Publication Date: 2010
Study examined the effects of captions for deaf students in online learning materials. Study participants were 62 deaf adult students, 40 of whom were male, with similar literacy skills using sign language as a first language. Participants were randomly and evenly assigned either to an experimental or a control group. The independent variable of the study was the existence/nonexistence of captions, and the dependent variables were level of contents comprehension, cognitive load, and motivation. Accordingly, the control group was exposed only to sign language video clips. Participants watched online learning material consisting of 20 sections, each about 40 to 50 minutes long on the topic of investment techniques. Content comprehension, cognitive load, and motivation were assessed post intervention using questionnaires. Following the experiment, individual in depth interviews were held to obtain feedback on captions and the contents of the learning material. Study results showed a significant difference in contents comprehension, but no significant difference in cognitive load and motivation between the two groups. Providing captions and sign language video clips at the same time in online contents was shown to have a positive effect on learning, and overall responses during interviews to this mode were positive.
Published by: National Technical Institute for the Deaf (Website:http://www.ntid.rit.edu)
Link to text: http://www.rit.edu/~w-tecsym/cgi-bin/papers.cgi?M11D
