Research and Statistics ACARA aims to establish an accurate understanding of Australian signing people, their wants, needs, social and geographical demography and diversity. In order to achieve this ACARA will: Collect data via membership application forms as deemed appropriate for research objectives, or as deemed appropriate. Research the impact of sign language dependence within education, employment and social environments and methods of improving overall access to the language. Improve access to AUSLAN itself and to ease the adoption and overall understanding of the language and its users. Partake in other activities, as they arise, that are deemed to be in line with these objectives. ACARAs research and publications are managed by the Auslan Research Panel. The Auslan Research Panel will be responsible for overseeing, investigating and the administration of research tasks assigned to them by the Board of Directors. ACARA is in formation, and as such so are our panels. All members of the Auslan Research Panel must be recognized in their area of expertise and be appropriately qualified, whether through experience and/or academically, to be an appropriate person to research AUSLAN resources and/or support services. Profiles of the Research Panel and a database of Publications and Research Papers will be forthcoming in the near future. In the mean time contemplate some statistics: 2,013,000 people self-reported having partial or complete deafness in Australia in 2001 (10.8% of total population)(ABS 2001 National Health Survey, Australia’s Health 2004, AIHW) 1,722,879 people self-reported having partial or complete deafness in Australia in 1995 (only 9.6% of population)(Bureau of Statistics study “1995 National Health Survey”) In case you have not already done the maths, we had a 1.2% increase, or 290,121 more hearing impared people in only 5.5years! Hearing impairments are more common than visual impairments among young people aged 15–24 years. “Hearing Loss is already estimated to be the second most prevalent health condition in Australia, with one in every five people over 15 years experiencing some sort of hearing impairment.” “Early detection is the key to ensuring babies and young children access hearing intervention as soon as possible and are not disadvantaged socially and intellectually in the longer term” The Honorable Julie Bishop, MP More than 1 in 1000 Victorians are Deaf and use sign language as their primary means of communication! Remember that that does not include people who are not deaf, yet rely on sign language to communicate. It does not include the teachers, work colleges, families nor freinds of those signing individuals either!(Victorian Rural Information Workers, funded by Department of Human Services,statistics on the signing 'Deaf' population of Victoria, 2000) 21.3% of the population have a disability in one or more categories (survey of neurological, musculoskeletal, sensory and intellectual disabilities of non-institutionalised South Australians) “Sadly many children who have an undetected hearing loss are often wrongly labelled as difficult, un-cooperative, disobedient, aphasic, retarded or learning disabled. A hearing impairment/loss in a child may cause a significant delay in language development, a disorder in speech perception or production, or create difficulties with both receptive and expressive language. These in turn can have a devastating impact on cognition and literacy skills, as well as educational achievement, social development, physical well-being and long term employment opportunities later in life” (Dr Janusz Nowosielski, Audiologist and researcher, Balance and Hearing Center, Melbourne) Population data on disability in childhood are not readily available, but suggest increases in both incidence and prevalence of several impairments across the range of severity. (Year Book Australia, 2002, Health Centenary Article - Child health since Federation by Professor Fiona J. Stanley) It's estimated one in seven Australian children have a speech and language problem.(speech pathologist Fran Logan) Three quarters of disabled children are cared for by their mother. (Diversity and change in Australian families: Statistical profiles by David de Vaus)