American Sign Language
My interest in ASL goes back years; I first got interested in the early 1970's. I taught myself the alphabet and some words, using a book from the library. I took my first class in the fall of 1977. I've been taking classes on and off ever since, buying books and video tapes, and trying to learn more.I've included here a list of online services I've found, subscription newsletters and magazines, catalogues that may be of interest, software I know about, and anything else I thought of. If you've got something interesting to add, please send it to me.
If you are interested in learning American Sign Language, check your local Community College, University, or Park & Rec department for courses. Be sure to check the catalog thoroughly; often, Sign Language courses are offered through the Special Education department, or under Speech Pathology. They don't get listed under language courses at many major universities. You might call the secretary in the Special Ed or Speech dept, or any other Educational depts, and ask if they know about local courses.
Some books are good for basic self teaching. Also there are many videotapes, which help because you can see the signers and don't get the "pronunciation" of the sign wrong as you might with just a book. Check your local library for both books and videos and enquire about inter-library loan.
There are a few computer programs on CD, for Macintosh or PC. I've listed the ones I know about.
You might consider contacting Galludet University, in Washington, DC, or the National Association of the Deaf, in Silver Spring Maryland. They may have more information or suggestions.
Lastly, check with your public television stations to see if they carry "Say it With Sign", "Deaf Mosaic", or similar programming.
Index
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Online
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The Deaf Magazine: current and back issues.
- Gallaudet University
- information on the school and its programs, as well as
Gallaudet's Gopher server and links to the archives of its
National Information Center on Deafness and other Deaf WWW sites
(under News and Information).
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Project HIIT: Internet for the Hearing Impaired
- Resources and data bases for the deaf and hearing impaired,
with a special emphasis on Internet Access. Includes a large list
of additional online services.
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Interactive ASL and Braille Guide
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www.signlanguage.org - American Sign Language - Family Life Works
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Deaf World Web
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DEAF-L Internet Resource
FTP Sites
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The Olivetti Archive for the Hearing Impaired
- files about sign language, related graphics files, and more.
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The Deaf Magazine (ftp archives)
Mailing Lists
- Deaf-L is a Bitnet LISTSERV mailing list.
Be warned; traffic is very high and signal to noise ratio varies widely!
To subscribe, send Email to LISTSERV@SIUCVMB.siu.edu, with no subject line, the only line in the text of the message being:-
SUBSCRIBE DEAF-L your name
Web Sites
Newsletters and Magazines
- The DCARA News
Serving the Deaf Community: "of, by, and for the deaf"
22289 Pierce St., Hayward, CA 94541
dragonsani@aol.com
Subscription rate: $15/yr (1st class), $11/yr (bulk rate)
10 issues per year - Deaf Life
MSM Publications, Ltd.
Box 23380
Rochester, New York 14692
published monthly
Book & Video publishers - Catalogues
- Dawn Sign Press - Books & Videos
9080 Activity Road
Suite A
San Diego, CA 92126
1-619-549-5330 - Gallaudet University Press - Books
800 Florida Ave. NE
Washington, DC 20002
1-800-451-1073 - Hands Up Enterprises
P.O. Box 468
Howell, NJ 07731
1-908-364-5194 - NTID Resources Catalog,
A Clearinghouse of Educational Materials
Rochester Institute of Technology
National Technical Institute for the Deaf
Division of Public Affairs
Lyndon Baines Johnson Building
P.O. Box 9887
Rochester, NY 14623
1-716-475-6400 - Outreach Videos/Media Center
Illinois School for the Deaf
1501 W. State St.
Jacksonville, IL 62650
1-800-231-3878
pre-recorded tapes exchanged free of charge for an equal number of new videotapes of comparable (high) quality. - Sign Enhancers - Videotapes
1320 Edgewater NW
Suite B10, Rm. C2
Salem, OR 97304
1-800-767-4461 - Sign Media, Inc. - Sign Language Videotape Collection
Burtonsville Commerce Center
4020 Blackburn Lane, Burtonsville, MD 20866
1-800-475-4756 - T.J. Publisher's, Inc - Catalogue of Publications
817 Silver Spring Ave.
Suite 206
Silver Spring, MD 20910
1-800-999-1168
Software
- The American Sign Language Dictionary on CD-ROM
by Martin Sternberg
Harper Collins Interactive
CD-ROM for Macintosh: ISBN 0-06-279014-5; SRP $69.95
CD-ROM for Mac (w/book): ISBN: 0-06-279021-8; SRP $79.95
CD-ROM for Windows: ISBN 0-06-279015-3; SRP $69.95
CD-ROM for Win (w/book): ISBN: 0-06-279020-X; SRP $79.95
http://www.HARPERCOLLINS.COM/hci/edu/signh.htmThis CD-ROM presents video simulations of more than 2,000 signs. The most widely used words and phrases are presented, with zoom-in and slow-motion videos for closer study and the user can find the signs by typing in words in English, Spanish, German, French, and Italian.
- Sign Language for Everyone
Currently available for Windows/DOS.
IVI Publishing
7500 Flying Cloud Drive
Minneapolis, MN 55344-3739
Phone: (612) 996-6000
http://www.ivi.com/sign/html/sign.htmlMuch more than just an American Sign Language dictionary, this program is a comprehensive series of lessons and exercises for anyone to learn to express themselves in sign.
- E&IS Signware, Computerized Sign Language Products
For Macintosh, IBM PC, or Apple II.
206 Angie Drive., PO Box 521
Cedar Falls, IA 50613
1-319-266-7800 (FAX)
Titles include:
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CAV-ASL - "Computerized Animated Vocabulary of American Sign Language" -
Over 2600 words, categorized on 15 diskettes.
$695.
Fingerspeller - the first in a series of software, designed to teach the Manual Alphabet. $39.95
Elementary Signer - designed to introduce Elementary level students to ASL. $79.95
Fingerzoids - designed to reinforce and improve recognition of the Manual Alphabet. $49.95