A "Signability Index" is presented for sign language interpretation of children's books. The index is based on such variables as reading rate, sentence length, quantity of text used to express thoughts, word imagery, and complexity and concreteness of passages. Suggested books for classroom reading are listed, categorized by six levels of…

Words in English often have multiple meanings, causing concepts to be paired with incorrect signs when working with deaf students, such as the concept of "made up" meaning either "invented" or "decided." A method called "sentence chains" is recommended as a drill to learn to link concepts with their appropriate signs. (JDD)

Suggestions are presented for planning a successful dramatic production by adolescent deaf students. Suggestions deal with script selection, stage direction, scenery, props, costumes, use of American Sign Language rather than signed English, and the need for all actors' signed lines to be visible to the entire audience. (JDD)

Guidelines are offered to schools and communities for developing activities of a yearly Deaf Awareness Week. Topics covered should include general information about deafness; common myths and misunderstandings; information about sign languages; technologies available to deaf people; interpreting; and interaction among deaf and hearing students.…

A special set of skills is essential for interpreting for mainstreamed deaf preschool students. Eleven issues in clarifying the job of the preschool interpreter are discussed, such as whether hearing children should learn to sign and how to encourage communication among hearing and deaf children. (JDD)

The intensive four-week seminar described in this report was designed for sign language interpreters currently employed or desiring employment in public post-secondary technical and vocational education. After explaining the objectives of the seminar, its targeted participants, and the training structure, the report presents an outline of the…

Videotapes of simultaneous communication users were analyzed by three sign language professionals. Successful simultaneous communication was characterized by clear lip movement, fingerspelling of ambiguous signs, eye contact, communication of mood and attitude, modality match, and grammatical facial expression. Matching the semantically…

A hearing teacher for whom American Sign Language is a second language identifies nine strategies developed for reading and telling stories to deaf children. These include: ask obvious questions related to the story, portray written dialog as conversation, emphasize points by saying the same thing with different signs, and adapt the story to…

A discussion of the use of sign language interpreters for deaf college students looks at the interpreter's role, classroom organization, pacing of speech, testing, and class discussion. Teachers are encouraged to use the interpreter's presence and expertise as an opportunity to reassess and enhance classroom communication dynamics. (MSE)

Based on a program developed to help the integration of deaf persons into the world of work, this manual is intended to familiarize adult basic education (ABE) teachers with the special needs of deaf persons. Information is provided to answer questions such as: (1) What is so different about deaf students? (2) What is "deaf culture"? (3)…

This report is intended to stimulate initiatives on the part of governmental, professional, and consumer organizations and institutions that prepare educational interpreters who work with deaf students. Following an introductory chapter on the development of educational interpreting for deaf students, other chapters discuss: (1) job titles and…

Four hearing-impaired students were mainstreamed into an English class of normally hearing students. Classroom communication progressed from sign interpreting, to sign interpreting along with a real-time graphic display (RTGD) of words spoken by teacher or students, to RTGD alone. Student reactions to the mainstreaming experience and to the…

A description is provided of the development, students, program offerings, personnel, and funding of LaGuardia Community College's (LCC) Continuing Education Programs for Deaf Adults (PDA). First, introductory material describes the postsecondary educational options available to deaf adults, and highlights the community college's emerging role as…

A project was undertaken to continue development of a curriculum for training interpreters for deaf persons enrolled in vocational education programs in Texas. Utilizing field consultants for specialized course development, project staff completed 11 interpreting modules and accompanying audiovisual prototypes. In addition, on-site visits were…

This manual is designed to familiarize adult basic education (ABE) teachers with the special needs of deaf individuals and strategies for integrating deaf students into ABE classes. The manual is prefaced with a brief discussion of the Comprehensive Program for the Deaf of the Columbus Speech and Hearing Center in Columbus, Ohio. The following…