Bimodal Bilingualism

The ability to use two languages that exist in different modalities — typically a signed language (visual-gestural modality) and a spoken/written language (auditory-vocal modality). Unlike unimodal bilinguals who use two spoken languages, bimodal bilinguals can potentially produce both languages simultaneously because the languages use different articulators (hands vs. voice). Research shows that bimodal bilingualism in Deaf individuals — using both ASL and English — fosters positive self-esteem, confidence, resilience, and identity. The National Association of the Deaf advocates for ASL-English bilingualism in education, and bilingual resources that present both languages side by side have been shown to benefit DHH individuals more than English-only materials.