Motion events are ubiquitous in conversation, from describing a tiresome commute to recounting a burglary. These situations, where an entity changes location, consist of four main semantic components: Motion (the movement), Figure (the entity moving), Ground (the object or objects with respect to which the Figure carries out the Motion) and Path (the route taken). Two additional semantic components can occur simultaneously: Manner (the way the Motion occurs) and Cause (the source of/reason for the Motion). Languages differ in preferences for provision and packaging of semantic components in descriptions. It has been suggested, in the thinking-for-speaking hypothesis, that these preferences influence the conceptualisation of events (such as their memorisation). This thesis addresses questions relating to the description and memory of Motion events in British Sign Language (BSL) and English. It compares early BSL (acquired before age seven) and late BSL (acquired after age 16) descriptions of Motion events and investigates whether linguistic preferences influence memory. Comparing descriptions by early signers and late signers indicates where their linguistic preferences differ, providing valuable knowledge for interpreters wishing to match early signers. Understanding how linguistic preferences might influence memory contributes to debates around the connection between language and thought. The experimental groups for this study were: deaf early BSL signers, hearing early BSL signers, deaf late BSL signers, hearing late BSL signers and hearing English monolinguals. Participants watched target Motion event video clips before completing a memory and attention task battery. Subsequently, they performed a forced-choice recognition task where they saw each target Motion event clip again alongside a distractor clip that differed in one semantic component. They selected which of the two clips they had seen in the first presentation. Finally, participants were filmed describing all of the target and distractor video clips (in English for English monolinguals and BSL for all other groups). The Motion event descriptions were coded for the inclusion and packaging of components. Linguistic descriptions were compared between languages (English and BSL) and BSL group. Statistical models were created to investigate variation on the memory and attention task battery and the recognition task. Results from linguistic analysis reveal that English and BSL are similar in the components included in descriptions. However, packaging differs between languages. English descriptions show preferences for Manner verbs and spatial particles to express Path ('run out'). BSL descriptions show preferences for serial verb constructions (using Manner and Path verbs in the same clause). The BSL groups are also similar in the components they include in descriptions. However, the packaging differs, with hearing late signers showing some English-like preferences and deaf early signers showing stronger serial verb preferences. Results from the behavioural experiments show no overall relationship between language group and memory. I suggest that the similarity of information provided in English and BSL descriptions undermines the ability of the task to reveal memory differences. However, results suggest a link between individual linguistic description and memory; marking a difference between components in linguistic description is correlated with correctly selecting that component clip in the recognition task. I argue that this indicates a relationship between linguistic encoding and memory within each individual, where their personal preference for including certain semantic components in their utterances is connected to their memory for those components. I also propose that if the languages were more distinct in their inclusion of information then there may have been differences in recognition task scores. I note that further research is needed across modalities to create a fuller picture of how information is included and packaged cross-modally and how this might affect individual Motion event memory.

<p>The aim of this study is to establish an understanding of how the concept educational materials can be interpreted, as well as to investigate how teachers describe their use of educational materials. The focus of this study is the subject “Sign Language for the hearing”, at the upper secondary level. We, the authors of this essay, both have a great personal interest in this language. Swedish Sign Language is the sign language mainly used in Sweden. In colloquial conversation, Swedish Sign Language is often called “Sign Language”, as American Sign Language is often called Sign Language in the USA. Swedish Sign Language is referred to as Sign Language in the current curriculum for the compulsory school and the non-compulsory school, which explains the title of this essay. Although this essay does not focus on research concerning the linguistic qualities of Swedish Sign Language, but we still wish to emphasize that sign language is not one, international, language.</p><p>The results presented in this study are derived from the collected knowledge mediated through a field study, in which eight teachers, with experience of working with the subject Sign Language for the hearing, have described their thoughts and experiences of the meaning of the concept educational materials, and how they explain that they use educational materials. These results are put in relation to curriculums, past and present, as well as previous litterature about educational materials.</p><p>By analysing the answers given by the teachers, who particiated in this study field, the curriculums are said to affect how they work with educational materials. The results of the field study comfirm the historical interpretation of educational materials as synonymous with a text-book. This being said, the participants in this study state that they have a wider understanding of the concept in relation to the subject Sign Language for the hearing. They explain that this is due to the fact that there is no text-book to work with, within the subject. They further describe that they work with different forms of experiences, such as theater, educational visits and interviews, in order to induce their students’ interest to want to learn and commuicate by using the language.</p>

The aim of this study is to establish an understanding of how the concept educational materials can be interpreted, as well as to investigate how teachers describe their use of educational materials. The focus of this study is the subject “Sign Language for the hearing”, at the upper secondary level. We, the authors of this essay, both have a great personal interest in this language. Swedish Sign Language is the sign language mainly used in Sweden. In colloquial conversation, Swedish Sign Language is often called “Sign Language”, as American Sign Language is often called Sign Language in the USA. Swedish Sign Language is referred to as Sign Language in the current curriculum for the compulsory school and the non-compulsory school, which explains the title of this essay. Although this essay does not focus on research concerning the linguistic qualities of Swedish Sign Language, but we still wish to emphasize that sign language is not one, international, language. The results presented in this study are derived from the collected knowledge mediated through a field study, in which eight teachers, with experience of working with the subject Sign Language for the hearing, have described their thoughts and experiences of the meaning of the concept educational materials, and how they explain that they use educational materials. These results are put in relation to curriculums, past and present, as well as previous litterature about educational materials. By analysing the answers given by the teachers, who particiated in this study field, the curriculums are said to affect how they work with educational materials. The results of the field study comfirm the historical interpretation of educational materials as synonymous with a text-book. This being said, the participants in this study state that they have a wider understanding of the concept in relation to the subject Sign Language for the hearing. They explain that this is due to the fact that there is no text-book to work with, within the subject. They further describe that they work with different forms of experiences, such as theater, educational visits and interviews, in order to induce their students’ interest to want to learn and commuicate by using the language.

A expansão da Internet e o crescente desenvolvimento de tecnologias para a Web fazem com que um grande número de pessoas com necessidades distintas procurem nelas as informações de que necessitam, utilizando a Internet como um meio de ensino e aprendizagem. Motivado por isso, procura-se atender a comunidade surda com a obtenção de um Animador de Gestos aplicado à Língua de Sinais, o AGA-Sign, disponível em ambiente Web, com o objetivo de auxiliar na prática da escrita de sinais e na familiarização com a língua. Este trabalho apresenta uma aplicação para geração automatizada de animações de gestos aplicado à Língua de Sinais a partir de textos escritos em SignWriting - sistema de escrita para Língua de Sinais que dispõe de expressões gráficas para descrever os movimentos das mãos, dos braços, além de expressões faciais, fazendo com que o sistema possa representar qualquer língua de sinais. Os sinais usados para o desenvolvimento da aplicação foram elaborados a partir da LIBRAS por ser a língua oficial dos surdos brasileiros e as animações foram geradas através do modelo AGA (animação gráfica baseada na Teoria dos Autômatos). / The Internet expansion and the increasing development of Web technologies make a great audience with distinct necessities search the information they need, using the Internet as a mean for teaching and learning. In this context, this work tries to support the deaf community by developing a Gesture Animator applied to the Sign Language, the AGA-Sign, available in the Web environment, which goal is assisting the writing practice of signs and the familiarization with the language. This work presents an application for automatic generation of gestures animations applied to the Sign Language from texts written in SignWriting - a Sign Language writing system that uses graphical expressions to describe hands and arms movements, beyond face expressions, which makes the system capable of representing any sign language. The signs used for the development of the application were elaborated based in LIBRAS, that is the official brazilian deaf language and the animations were generated through AGA model (graphical animation based in the Automata Theory).

A expansão da Internet e o crescente desenvolvimento de tecnologias para a Web fazem com que um grande número de pessoas com necessidades distintas procurem nelas as informações de que necessitam, utilizando a Internet como um meio de ensino e aprendizagem. Motivado por isso, procura-se atender a comunidade surda com a obtenção de um Animador de Gestos aplicado à Língua de Sinais, o AGA-Sign, disponível em ambiente Web, com o objetivo de auxiliar na prática da escrita de sinais e na familiarização com a língua. Este trabalho apresenta uma aplicação para geração automatizada de animações de gestos aplicado à Língua de Sinais a partir de textos escritos em SignWriting - sistema de escrita para Língua de Sinais que dispõe de expressões gráficas para descrever os movimentos das mãos, dos braços, além de expressões faciais, fazendo com que o sistema possa representar qualquer língua de sinais. Os sinais usados para o desenvolvimento da aplicação foram elaborados a partir da LIBRAS por ser a língua oficial dos surdos brasileiros e as animações foram geradas através do modelo AGA (animação gráfica baseada na Teoria dos Autômatos). / The Internet expansion and the increasing development of Web technologies make a great audience with distinct necessities search the information they need, using the Internet as a mean for teaching and learning. In this context, this work tries to support the deaf community by developing a Gesture Animator applied to the Sign Language, the AGA-Sign, available in the Web environment, which goal is assisting the writing practice of signs and the familiarization with the language. This work presents an application for automatic generation of gestures animations applied to the Sign Language from texts written in SignWriting - a Sign Language writing system that uses graphical expressions to describe hands and arms movements, beyond face expressions, which makes the system capable of representing any sign language. The signs used for the development of the application were elaborated based in LIBRAS, that is the official brazilian deaf language and the animations were generated through AGA model (graphical animation based in the Automata Theory).

A expansão da Internet e o crescente desenvolvimento de tecnologias para a Web fazem com que um grande número de pessoas com necessidades distintas procurem nelas as informações de que necessitam, utilizando a Internet como um meio de ensino e aprendizagem. Motivado por isso, procura-se atender a comunidade surda com a obtenção de um Animador de Gestos aplicado à Língua de Sinais, o AGA-Sign, disponível em ambiente Web, com o objetivo de auxiliar na prática da escrita de sinais e na familiarização com a língua. Este trabalho apresenta uma aplicação para geração automatizada de animações de gestos aplicado à Língua de Sinais a partir de textos escritos em SignWriting - sistema de escrita para Língua de Sinais que dispõe de expressões gráficas para descrever os movimentos das mãos, dos braços, além de expressões faciais, fazendo com que o sistema possa representar qualquer língua de sinais. Os sinais usados para o desenvolvimento da aplicação foram elaborados a partir da LIBRAS por ser a língua oficial dos surdos brasileiros e as animações foram geradas através do modelo AGA (animação gráfica baseada na Teoria dos Autômatos). / The Internet expansion and the increasing development of Web technologies make a great audience with distinct necessities search the information they need, using the Internet as a mean for teaching and learning. In this context, this work tries to support the deaf community by developing a Gesture Animator applied to the Sign Language, the AGA-Sign, available in the Web environment, which goal is assisting the writing practice of signs and the familiarization with the language. This work presents an application for automatic generation of gestures animations applied to the Sign Language from texts written in SignWriting - a Sign Language writing system that uses graphical expressions to describe hands and arms movements, beyond face expressions, which makes the system capable of representing any sign language. The signs used for the development of the application were elaborated based in LIBRAS, that is the official brazilian deaf language and the animations were generated through AGA model (graphical animation based in the Automata Theory).

The purpose of this dissertation was three-fold. The first intent was to investigate the historical role of English and American Sign Language (ASL) in the communication, education and culture of deaf/Deaf people in America. The second purpose was to investigate sociolinguistical and physiological properties of American Sign Language in light of language learning among the deaf. And the third objective was to research bilingual education methodologies in order to interface knowledge and practices from bilingual education, communication and ASL research to the field of post-secondary education of the deaf within the framework of bilingual education. Evidence demonstrates that the history of language policies and educational practices for the deaf are strongly influenced by the majority language of English. A primary goal of education of the deaf has been the assimilation of deaf people into the hearing society. An avenue for this integration has traditionally involved the exclusion of ASL from the classroom and the mandate of Signed English systems and/or aural/oral communication. The incorporation of a cross-disciplinary blend of communication, bilingual education and ASL sociolinguistic aspects form the foundation for further investigation. This dissertation should serve as an impetus and reference point for others wishing to advance the education of the deaf, utilizing a bilingual approach.

This thesis is a critical account of a qualitative, evaluative study into the translation processes and practices in use within the BSL Bible Translation Project, undertaken as a collaborative doctoral studentship funded by the AHRC/ESRC1. It has proceeded collaboratively, valuing the stories, knowledge and experiences of the participants. The data‐set presented herein was generated by means of participant observation and interviews with Project Team members. It was analysed in its digital, visual form using an inductive, thematic approach, and is presented with minimal commentary (Chapters 4 and 5). Following this presentation, the data‐set is further reflected upon in order to shed light upon existing understandings of sign language text composition strategies, team translation praxis, intermediality and sacrament (Chapters 6, 7 and 8). The evidence presented in this thesis represents a new source of data and offers valuable insights into translation and exegetical practice in its own right and, I will argue, as a means of human flourishing. This thesis problematizes previous descriptions of Signed Languages as ‘picture‐languages’, identifying two ways in which such descriptions have been unhelpful, even inaccurate. Firstly, that this nomenclature, with its association with picture‐books and pre‐linguistic skills, has contributed to the persistence of perceptions of d/Deaf people as being linguistically less‐able than their non‐Deaf peers and secondly, that such descriptions are deficient because they fail to fully capture the complex nature of Signed Languages. This thesis argues for a re engagement with the inherently cinematographic nature of Signed Languages and explores ways in which this would yield benefits in the fields of Deaf education, the teaching of Signed Languages to second‐language learners, and the training of interpreters and translators. This thesis will also argue that the translation practices of the BSL Bible Translation Project constitute a clear example of Deaf people engaging in metalinguistic reflection on their own language‐use. That is, that the data provide clear evidence of literate thought, specifically of Signed Language literacy in action, and is further evidence in support of the growing confidence and agency within the Deaf Community with regards to the status and the rich linguistic and material properties of BSL, including its suitability as a mediator of the sacred. This thesis will go on to offer reflections on what the data have to tell us about the nature of Biblical texts; both through how they are produced, and the nature of those texts as artefacts and bearers of religious meanings. Engaging with existing understandings of sacrament and incarnation, including the possibility that the act of Bible reading and translation can be said to constitute a sacramental activity, it argues that this is particularly so when such reading and ‘speaking’ of the text occurs through Signed Language.

This paper utilizes prior studies attempting to explain different possible phonological production errors among adults who learn American Sign Language (ASL) as a second language (L2). These studies have offered theoretical grounding to such production errors. One area of study in particular is further explored in this paper and that is how specific joints of the arm and hand are used in the production of signs (Mirus, et al., 2001, Meier, et al 2008). L2 learners of ASL are essentially learning a new language using a different modality and this new modality requires that they relearn how to use specific motor skills needed in order to produce sign vocabulary. To address this, an exploratory teaching module is proposed with the need for further action research to discuss its effectiveness. / text

One of the most debilitating impairments of autistic and other behaviorally disordered children is an inability to communicate. Increasing documentation of the successful acquisition of sign language by these children has intensified the need for experimental analyses of teaching procedures and their effects on behavior. This study investigated the relationship between sign language acquisition and speech acquisition as well as the role of language acquisition in reducing the stereotypic and inappropriate behaviors common to this population. Speech training was compared with two sign language training procedures in an alternating treatments time series design. A modeled sign treatment based on visual imitation was compared with a prompted sign treatment based on physical manipulation of children's hands to determine which of the two stimuli, the visual model or the physical manipulation, promoted most rapid sign acquisition. Four preschool autistic children with minimal linguistic skills were the subjects of this study. Data on speech and sign acquisition as well as the occurrence of interfering behavior under all treatment conditions were recorded and visually analyzed. Minimal changes in speech and sign behavior occurred under the speech and modeled sign treatments. The prompted sign treatment resulted in the most rapid sign acquisition. The procedures of the prompted sign treatment allowed the teacher to physically prompt sign responses and to follow these responses with reinforcement. The effectiveness of the prompted sign procedure was attributed to the frequent reinforcement schedule of this treatment. The lowest levels of interfering behavior were also recorded under the prompted sign treatment. It was hypothesized that differential reinforcement of an alternative behavior, signing, accounted for this observation. The impact of language competency on the rate of interfering behavior is also discussed. One child began to speak when a repetitive speech model was introduced after sign acquisition. Words that had been previously signed were uttered first and most intelligibly. The acquisition of imitative sign skills and subsequent environmental control through language are explored as factors which facilitate speech development.