Social and Academic Integration Using E-Mail Between Children With and Without Hearing Impairments

Children with and without hearing impairments participated in an e-mail project where each student had a year-long opportunity to exchange messages with a peer to learn about that person’s experiences and interests, working in a low-stakes (risk-free) environment. Students were asked to function as teacher/resource by describing information they had learned in their social studies curriculum or other areas and as learners by further questioning their partners about their topic. In this model, knowledge would be deepened through rethinking and recording ideas, and by replying to questions that were sent to e-mail partners. E-mail is used as a collaborative tool and is applied in a purposeful and highly motivating context, one that does not fit the traditional classroom use of writing. Differences in teaching methods and values resulted in differences in e-mail accessibility for students. [Article copies available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Service: 1-800-342-9678. E-mail address: < getinfo@haworthpressinc.com > Website: < Error! Hyperlink reference not valid. >]