In response to an earlier article (SLS 51) regarding duality of patterning in the evolution of language, it is suggested that all utterances of a language be coded into elementary units of meaning that could be manipulated into larger units of discourse. This method would attempt to systematize a language's constantly changing phonemic inventory.…

The effects of complementary sign language instruction on three measures of literacy were evaluated with six severely to profoundly deaf high school residential students. Instruction involved comparing American Sign Language and English, literal and figurative translation, and editing and grammatical English skills. Positive results have…

Examination of the nature and quality of deaf children's referential messages to their mothers, the outcome of such messages, and the reformulations of "failed" messages. Deaf children 6-10 years old, from oral or bimodal educational programs, were tested in two tasks involving identification and description of a picture. (Author/BN)

Ten deaf-blind college students were interviewed to find out what they need and want from sign language interpreters. Findings were organized into four areas: (1) types of signing, (2) modifications to the signing, (3) visual information that needs to be conveyed, and (4) other factors influencing deaf-blind interpreting situations. (Author/DB)

Describes procedure for inventing signs in American Sign Language to aid in teaching scientific subjects. Pretests, posttests, and retention tests were used to examine whether the use of new signs for technical terms aids in learning and recalling scientific concepts. Preliminary results favor technical signs over fingerspelling. (Author/LMO)

Comparisons of 91 deaf children's (ages 5-15) understanding of 25 sentences presented in American Sign Language (ASL), simplified English, and standard English showed no significant differences in the children's ability to comprehend the three different forms. Findings do not support proposals to substitute ASL or simplified English for standard…

The paper examines the effects of social pressures on deafness in work, in education, and in the professionalization of services in the United Kingdom. Deaf people are considered in terms of their lack of power, the emergence of their language and culture, and the use of signing in education. (Author/DB)

The article reviews linguistic features of a trilingual approach to total communication for deaf children from non-English-speaking families. Covered are issues of syntax, semantics, and use of fingerspelling. (CL)

A program is described that helps experienced as well as new facilitators deal with the very basic needs of a quality circle that consists of both hearing and nonhearing employees. Discusses format of teaching materials, room layout, teacher responsibilities, selection of a leader, and circle members' responsibilities. (CT)

Describes the Sign Communication Proficiency Interview (SCPI) and discusses the SCPI rating scale, linguistic and cultural factors important for sign communicative competence, and skills in communicating simultaneously in signing and speaking. (EKN)

An elementary school class that learned sign language also benefited from several positive side effects. As the students developed a new means of communication, they also become more aware of deaf individuals and their needs. (DF)

Examines whether specific characteristics of American Sign Language (ASL) syntax affect perceptual processing of the language. Findings support the psychological reality of sentence embedding processes in ASL, further supporting the claim that visually based languages achieve the same functional goals as speech, although with different means. (FL)

Two experiments questioned whether deaf signers agree on the location of sign boundaries in American Sign Language (ASL), as well as where in time the boundaries are located. Results indicated that the deaf subjects were using linguistic knowledge of ASL when making judgments of the location of sign boundaries. (SL)

Communication is accomplished in many ways--through gestures, body language, writing, and speaking. Most people communicate verbally, without giving much thought to the process, but others may struggle to effectively communicate with others. The ability to express oneself affects behavior, learning, and sociability. When children are unable to…

This collection of papers examines how sign languages are distributed around the world; what occurs when they come in contact with spoken and written languages, and how signers use them in a variety of situations. Each chapter introduces the key issues in a particular area of inquiry and provides a comprehensive review of the literature. The seven…