CHANGING THE LENS - A POSITION PAPER ON THE VALUE OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AS A MODE OF INQUIRY IN THE EDUCATION OF THE DEAF

A case study of a young deaf child's conversation development is used to explore the relationship between mode of inquiry and findings resul ting from the use of qualitative research methodology. Data were colle cted through participant observation, videotaping, and interviews in t he participants' natural settings. The breadth of findings from themat ic analysis of descriptive data and discourse analysis of language sam ples led to the discovery of the child's language competencies in a fi eld where research usually focuses on language deficits. Additionally, data revealed the contextual features that contributed to the child's conversation development. Scope of findings and implications for educ ators and researchers provide evidence of the value of qualitative met hodology as a mode of inquiry in the field of education of the Deaf.