Title: An active vocabulary learning tool for primary school students with a hearing impairment

Authors: Santichai Wicha; Nopasit Chakpitak; Nitida Adipattaranan

Addresses: School of Information Technology, Mae Fah Luang University, 333 Moo1, Thasud, Muang, Chiang Rai, 57100, Thailand. ' College of Arts, Media and Technology, Chiang Mai University, 239 Huay Kaew Road, Muang District, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand. ' Faculty of Education, Chiang Mai University, 239 Huay Kaew Road, Muang District, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand

Abstract: This paper illustrates a new way for teaching Thai primary school students with a hearing impairment in order to improve their English vocabulary learning abilities. A supplementary educational technology tool, known as the 'total communication with animation dictionary' (TCAD) has been proposed in this study. Since the TCAD had already been implemented in the experimental group we found that the tool supported vocabulary long-term memory retention. With the study extended to the set of population and number of vocabularies increased to these students. The results confirmed that the TCAD is an active supplementary vocabulary learning and a comprehensive instruction tool for the hearing impaired.

Keywords: total communication; 3D animation; three dimensions; three dimensional; vocabulary acquisition; English language; VLS; language immersion; hearing impairments; web-based learning; electronic dictionaries; e-dictionaries; e-learning; electronic learning; online learning; internet; world wide web; learning tools; hearing impaired students; primary schools; primary education; Thailand; learning abilities; educational technology; animation dictionaries; TCAD; long-term memories; memory retention; innovation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIL.2012.045172

International Journal of Innovation and Learning, 2012 Vol.11 No.2, pp.115 - 135

Published online: 28 Aug 2014 *

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