Ray, S. (1982). Adapting the WISC-R for deaf children . Diagnostique , 7 (3), 147–157. https://doi.org/10.1177/073724778200700302

Journal Article

Ray, S. (1982). Adapting the WISC-R for deaf children. Diagnostique, 7(3), 147–157. https://doi.org/10.1177/073724778200700302

Summary

Accommodation

Supplemental and alternate instructions, as well as supplemental items for each of the performance subtests were made available. These were intended to help communicate the test directions to students with hearing impairments.

Participants

An adaptation of the Weschler Intelligence Scales for Children-Revised for the Deaf was sent to 23 psychologists in 20 states. Each psychologist administered the WISC-R with adaptations to at least five deaf subjects.

Dependent Variable

Scores on performance subtests of the WISC-R were used as the dependent variable. Scores of the deaf students using the adapted version were compared to students without hearing impairments who were administered the standard test.

Findings

Deaf students taking the adapted version of the test scored similarly to students without hearing impairments on the WISC-R performance scale overall. The author suggests that when factors related to test administration are controlled (i.e. the child's comprehension of the task), deaf children score on the average the same as the normal population.