Usability of American Sign Language Videos for Presenting Mathematics Assessment Content

Area of Science:

• Educational Psychology
• Deaf Education
• Sign Language Linguistics

Background:

• Growing interest in using American Sign Language (ASL) videos as accommodations for mathematics assessments in K-12 and postsecondary education.
• Need to evaluate the usability and comprehensibility of ASL videos featuring both avatar (animated) and human signers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if high-quality ASL videos can serve as a valid accommodation in mathematics testing.
• To compare the usability of ASL videos presented by an avatar versus a human signer.

Main Methods:

• Administered nine pre-college mathematics items to 31 Deaf participants with varying educational backgrounds.
• Participants relied solely on ASL videos (avatar and human versions) to answer the mathematics items.
• Assessed participant preference and mathematics performance based on the signed version used.

Main Results:

• Participants showed a clear preference for the human signer version over the avatar version, citing better expressiveness and fluency.
• No significant relationship was found between mathematics performance and the type of signed version (avatar vs. human) used.
• Comprehensibility and performance were not significantly different between avatar and human ASL videos.

Conclusions:

• ASL videos, particularly those with human signers, show potential as an accommodation in mathematics testing for Deaf students.
• While user preference favors human signers, current evidence suggests avatar-based ASL videos may also be viable for assessment purposes.
• Further research is needed to optimize ASL video accommodations and confirm their impact on educational outcomes for Deaf learners.