>Magister Scientiae - MSc / Many South African Deaf people use their mobile phones for communication with SMSs yet they would prefer to converse in South African Sign Language. Deaf people with a capital `D' are different from deaf or hard of hearing as they primarily use sign language to communicate. This study explores how to design and evaluate a prototype that will allow a Deaf person using SASL to tell a hearing doctor how s/he is feeling and provide a way for the doctor to respond. A computer{based prototype was designed and evaluated with the Deaf people in a previous study. Results from the user trial of the computer{based mock{up indicated that Deaf users would like to see the prototype on a cell phone. Those user trial results, combined with our own user survey results conducted with Deaf people, are used as requirements. We built a prototype for a mobile phone browser by embedding SASL videos inside XHTML pages using Adobe Flash. The prototype asks medical questions using SASL videos. These questions are arranged in an organized way that helps in identifying a medical problem. The answers to the questions are then displayed in English and shown to the doctor on the phone. A content authoring tool was also designed and implemented. The content authoring tool is used for populating the prototype in a context free manner allowing for plug and play scenarios such as a doctor's office, Department of Home A airs or police station. A focus group consisting of Deaf people was conducted to help in the design and pilot trial of the system. A final user trial was conducted with more than thirty Deaf people and the results are presented and analyzed. Data is collected with questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and video recordings. The results indicate that most of the Deaf people found the system easy to learn, easy to navigate through, did not get lost and understood the sign language in the videos on the mobile phone. The hand gestures and facial expressions on the sign language videos were clear. Most of them indicated they would like to use the system for free, and that the system did not ask too many questions. Most of them were happy with the quality of the sign language videos on the mobile phone and would consider using the system in real life. Finally they felt their private information was safe while using the system. Many South African Deaf people use their mobile phones for communication with SMSs yet they would prefer to converse in South African Sign Language. Deaf people with a capital `D' are different from deaf or hard of hearing as they primarily use sign language to communicate. This study explores how to design and evaluate a prototype that will allow a Deaf person using SASL to tell a hearing doctor how s/he is feeling and provide a way for the doctor to respond. A computer{based prototype was designed and evaluated with the Deaf people in a previous study. Results from the user trial of the computer{based mock{up indicated that Deaf users would like to see the prototype on a cell phone. Those user trial results, combined with our own user survey results conducted with Deaf people, are used as requirements. We built a prototype for a mobile phone browser by embedding SASL videos inside XHTML pages using Adobe Flash. The prototype asks medical questions using SASL videos. These questions are arranged in an organized way that helps in identifying a medical problem. The answers to the questions are then displayed in English and shown to the doctor on the phone. A content authoring tool was also designed and implemented. The content authoring tool is used for populating the prototype in a context free manner allowing for plug and play scenarios such as a doctor's office, Department of Home A airs or police station. A focus group consisting of Deaf people was conducted to help in the design and pilot trial of the system. A final user trial was conducted with more than thirty Deaf people and the results are presented and analyzed. Data is collected with questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and video recordings. The results indicate that most of the Deaf people found the system easy to learn, easy to navigate through, did not get lost and understood the sign language in the videos on the mobile phone. The hand gestures and facial expressions on the sign language videos were clear. Most of them indicated they would like to use the system for free, and that the system did not ask too many questions. Most of them were happy with the quality of the sign language videos on the mobile phone and would consider using the system in real life. Finally they felt their private information was safe while using the system. / South Africa

Submitted by PPGE PPGE (pgedu@ufba.br) on 2014-01-27T14:27:17Z No. of bitstreams: 1 _00.Dissertacao.Thalita.corrigida.03.12.2013 - com ficha_catalografica print.pdf: 1512481 bytes, checksum: 6754c2abb8952f1100d7b37488715e23 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Maria Auxiliadora da Silva Lopes (silopes@ufba.br) on 2014-02-11T13:57:45Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 _00.Dissertacao.Thalita.corrigida.03.12.2013 - com ficha_catalografica print.pdf: 1512481 bytes, checksum: 6754c2abb8952f1100d7b37488715e23 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-02-11T13:57:45Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 _00.Dissertacao.Thalita.corrigida.03.12.2013 - com ficha_catalografica print.pdf: 1512481 bytes, checksum: 6754c2abb8952f1100d7b37488715e23 (MD5) / CAPES / Para que a inclusão educacional das pessoas surdas se efetive é imprescindível oferecer acessibilidade linguística, pois os surdos são pessoas que utilizam a língua de sinais para se comunicar. Esta acessibilidade pressupõe a presença de um intérprete de língua de sinais (ILS) que irá mediar a relação ensino-aprendizagem através da transmissão dos conteúdos da língua portuguesa para a língua de sinais e vice-versa. Este trabalho tem como objetivo analisar os desafios e possibilidades do trabalho do intérprete de língua de sinais inserido em escolas estaduais de Salvador com estudantes surdos, bem como verificar como é realizada a inserção profissional dos intérpretes de língua brasileira de sinais nos ambientes educacionais; identificar a inserção dos intérpretes de língua brasileira de sinais caracterizando o ambiente, as condições de trabalho e os papeis desenvolvidos; detectar as dificuldades vivenciadas pelos ILS em uma escola pública, estadual e; levantar novas possibilidades de atuação dos ILS educacional. Para tanto foi utilizada metodologia de abordagem qualitativa, através do estudo de caso, e a análise de conteúdo para verificação dos dados colhidos. Tais dados foram obtidos através de entrevistas com uma professora e quatro intérpretes atuantes em uma escola estadual da cidade de Salvador. Para apresentar os resultados foram criadas três categorias de análise, são elas: 1 – O ILS: um novo personagem no cenário escolar; 2 – Dificuldades ou desafios?; e 3 – O Intérprete de língua de sinais compondo o quadro de profissionais no ambiente escolar. Os resultados indicam que os profissionais foram inseridos nas escolas inicialmente através de vínculos de amizade, sendo que o estabelecimento do trabalho foi realizado por uma professora atuante na sala de recursos multifuncional da escola, que as condições para o trabalho para o bom desempenho dos intérpretes na instituição são mais desfavoráveis que favoráveis, que os ILS desempenham diversos papeis desde a interpretação até a mediação de conflitos que envolvem os estudantes surdos e que mesmo em meio às dificuldades tais profissionais encontram possibilidades que contribuem para melhor desenvolverem seus trabalhos. / 9 ABSTRACT For the educational inclusion of deaf people to become effective it is essential to offer linguistic accessibility, because The Deaf are people who use sign language to communicate. This accessibility presupposes the presence of a Sign Language Interpreter (SLI) that will mediate the relation between teaching and learning thr ough the transmission of content from Portuguese to sign language and vice versa. This study aims to analyze the challenges and opportunities of the interpreter of sign language inserted into state schools of Salvador with deaf students, as well as check H ow it is performed inserting professional interpreters of Brazilian sign language in educational settings; identify insertion of interpreters Brazilian sign language characterizing the environment, working conditions and roles developed; detect the difficu lties experienced by SLI in a public school, state and; raise new possibilities for educational performance of SLI. For this we used a methodology of qualitative approach, through ethnographic research, and content analysis for verification of the data col lected. These data were obtained through interviews with a teacher and four interpreters working at a state school in the city of Salvador. To display the results were created three categories of analysis, they are:1 - The SLI: A new character in the school setting; 2 - difficulties or challenges? And 3 - The Interpreter and sign language composing the professional staff in the school environment. The results indicate that professionals were initially placed in schools through bonds of friendship, and the estab lishment of the work was done by a teacher active in the multipurpose room of the school's resources, that the conditions of working for the good performance of interpreters in institution are more unfavorable than favorable, The SLI play various roles sin ce the interpretation to mediate conflicts involving deaf students and that even amid difficulties such professionals are possibilities that contribute for a better development of their Job

Orientador: Carolina Maria Rodríguez Zuccolillo / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Estudos da Linguagem / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-21T11:40:39Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Silva_NilceMaria_D.pdf: 12107284 bytes, checksum: b74b2b49886f86bfc3be158d16147c91 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012 / Resumo: Esta tese tem como objetivo compreender a história da produção de conhecimento sobre a Língua Brasileira de Sinais - LIBRAS, na relação com os sujeitos e com o Estado. Busca, principalmente, compreender o modo de funcionamento do dicionário, enquanto instrumento linguístico, sua constituição e formulação, a partir do olhar da História das Ideias Linguísticas em articulação com a Análise de Discurso. Distinguimos três períodos principais na produção desses intrumentos. O primeiro diz respeito à publicação da Iconografia dos Signaes dos Surdos- Mudos, de Flausino José da Gama, em 1875, obra fundadora do saber lexicográfico sobre a língua de sinais do Brasil, conforme lemos nas análises e nos discursos sobre ela. A produção de instrumentos lexicográficos foi, entretanto, interrompida por quase um século, até sua retomada na década de 1960, devido a fatores relacionados à proibição da língua de sinais instituída a partir do Congresso de Milão, em 1880. O segundo período que identificamos, portanto, está constituído por um conjunto de obras publicadas desde os anos 1960 até a década de 1990: Linguagem das Mãos (1969), do Pe. Eugênio Oates; Linguagem de Sinais do Brasil (1983), de Harry Hoemann, Eugênio Oates & Shirley Hoemann; Comunicando com as Mãos (1987), de Judy Ensminger, e Linguagem de Sinais (1992), editados pela Sociedade Torre de Vigia de Bíblias e Tratados. Esse conjunto de dicionários, produzidos e publicados por instituições religiosas, alia uma ampliação do léxico da língua de sinais à uma discursividade religiosa. Tais dicionários apresentam uma série de características que serão aqui analisadas: os sinais/verbetes são distribuídos por temas, seguem a alfabetação das palavras da língua portuguesa e seu modo de realização é ilustrado com foto ou desenho; o enunciado lexicográfico é observado a partir da descrição do modo como o sinal é realizado. O terceiro período na história da produção de obras dicionarísticas da língua de sinais começa com a oficialização da LIBRAS como língua da comunidade surda do Brasil, em 2002. São três os dicionários estudados: o Dicionário Enciclopédico Ilustrado Trilíngue da Língua de Sinais Brasileira (2001), de Fernando César Capovilla e Walkíria Duarte Raphael; o Dicionário da Língua Brasileira de Sinais (2006), de Tanya Amara Felipe de Souza e Guilherme de Azambuja Lira e o Novo Deit-Libras: Dicionário Enciclopédico Ilustrado Trilíngue da Língua de Sinais Brasileira (2009), de Fernando César Capovilla, Walkíria Duarte Raphael e Aline Cristina L. Maurício. Essas obras se caracterizam, de modo geral, pela apresentação que os autores propõem dos sinais a partir de elementos oriundos da lexicologia e da lexicografia da língua oral, aliado ao conhecimento da língua de sinais referente à descrição da forma dos sinais; notamos nessas obras uma tentativa caracterizada pela ilusão de oferecer maior "transparência" e "completude" à língua e ao dicionário. Os estudos desenvolvidos permitem concluir que há um percurso de produção científica sobre a LIBRAS, que possibilita, aos autores, elaborar dicionários e gramáticas que sustentam a gramatização da LIBRAS. Ao mesmo tempo em que se legitima a LIBRAS, por meio dos estudos científicos sobre a língua, institucionalizam-se os saberes produzidos, por meio de instrumentos linguisticos como os dicionários e gramáticas / Abstract: This thesis aims to understand the history of the production of knowledge about the Brazilian Sign Language - LIBRAS in relation to the subjects and the state. It searches principally to understand the mode of operation of these instruments, their formation and formulation, from the look of the History of linguistics Ideas in conjunction with the Discourse Analysis. We distinguish three main periods in the production of these instruments. The first concerns the publication of the Iconography of signs of Deaf-Mutes, by Flausino José da Gama in 1875, the founding work of lexicographical knowledge about sign language of Brazil as we read in the analysis and in the discourses about it. The production of lexicographical tools was, however, halted for almost a century until its revival in the 1960s, due to factors related to the prohibition imposed from the Congress of Milan in 1880. Therefore, the second period we identified is constituted by a set of published works since the 1960s until the 1990s: Language of Hands (1969), the Rev. Eugene Oates; Sign Language of Brazil (1983), Harry Hoemann, Eugene Oates & Shirley Hoemann; Communicating with the Hands (1987), Judy Ensminger, and Sign Language (1992) published by the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. This set of dictionaries produced and published by religious institution, combines an extension of the lexicon of sign language to a religious discourse. Such dictionaries have a number of features that will be discussed: the signs/entries are divided by subject, following the alphabetical words of portuguese language and its mode of realization is illustrated by photo or drawing, the lexicographical utterance is observed from the description the way the signal is performed. The third period in the history of the production of dicionaristics books of sign language begins with the official of Libras as the language of the deaf community in Brazil in 2002.There are three dictionaries studied: Brazilian Sign Language Trilingual Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary (2001) Fernando César Duarte Walkíria Capovilla and Raphael; Brazilian Sign Language Dictionary (2006), Tanya Amara Felipe and Guilherme de Souza de Azambuja Lira and New deit- Libras: Trilingual Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brazilian Sign Language (2009), Fernando César Capovilla, Walkíria Raphael Duarte and Aline Cristina L. Mauricio. These works are characterized, in general, by the presentation that authors propose of the signals from elements derived from lexicology and lexicography of oral language, coupled with the knowledge of sign language on the description of the form of the signals, we note, in these works, a characterized attempt by the illusion to offer greater "transparency" and "completeness" to the language and the dictionary. The studies carried out indicate that there is a path of scientific literature on Libras which enables the authors to elaborate dictionaries and grammars that support grammatisation the Brazilian Sign Language. While that legitimizes Libras, through scientific studies on the language, there become institutionalized knowledge produced through linguistic tools such as dictionaries and grammars / Doutorado / Linguistica / Doutora em Linguística

Denna studie undersöker teckenspråkiga elevers upplevelse av tvåspråkig undervisning där det förekommer tolkning. Det är en kvalitativ studie där totalt 14 elever från två olika specialskolor har deltagit i semi-strukturerade gruppintervjuer. Resultaten visar att lärare, assistenter och elever tolkar i skolan. Utbildade tolkar används sällan i undervisningen. En annan sak som framkommer är att resultaten mellan skolorna skiljer sig åt; på den ena skolan är eleverna nöjda och anser att lärarna har god språkkompetens, på den andra är eleverna mindre nöjda och anser att lärarnas språkkompetens brister. Vidare anser eleverna att det är fördelaktigt då en lärare tolkar för att de känner läraren, men lyfter fram att det ofta blir informationsbortfall. Eleverna anser utbildade tolkar vara en kvalitetssäkring. Dessutom visar resultaten att majoriteten av eleverna är negativt inställda till tolkning i undervisningen och anser att det inte ska behövas då lärarna ska vara tillräckligt språkkompetenta. En slutsats dras om att det är direkt olämpligt att elever har tolkat sin egen undervisning och att det är något som inte borde förekomma, samt att det vore intressant med fler kompletterande studier inom området, exempelvis en komparativ analys av specialskolan och en annan tvåspråkig skola och studera om tolkning förekommer där. / This study examines pupils who use sign language and their experience of bilingual education where there are instances of interpreted interaction. This is a qualitative study in which a total of 14 pupils from two different schools for the Deaf have participated in semi-structured group interviews. The results shows that teachers, assistants and pupils interpret in the school. Trained interpreters are rarely used in the education. Another thing that emerges is that the results between the schools differ; at one school, pupils are satisfied and believe that teachers’ have good language skills, at the other, pupils are less satisfied and believe that teachers’ language skills lack. In addition, the pupils believe that it is beneficial when a teacher interpret, because they know the teacher, but emphasize that it often results in information loss. The pupils consider trained interpreters to be a quality assurance. Furthermore, the results show that the majority of pupils are critical of that the school for the Deaf should have need for interpreted teaching, because the teachers would instead have sufficient language skills. A conclusion has been reached that it is inappropriate that pupils have interpreted their own teaching and that it is something that should not occur, and that it would be of interest with more complementary studies in the area, e.g. a comparative analysis of the school for the Deaf and another bilingual school to see if interpreting occurs at that school.

Les dysplasies corticales focales de type 2 (DCF2) sont une cause fréquente d’épilepsie partielle pharmacorésistante pouvant bénéficier d’un traitement chirurgical. Leur détection en IRM est un facteur indépendant de bon pronostic. Leur diagnostic reste difficile avec jusqu’à 40% d’IRM négatives. Le travail de cette thèse a pour principal objectif d’améliorer la détection des DCF2 à partir des séquences conventionnelles, d’évaluer la pertinence d’une augmentation de champ magnétique, et de valider de nouveaux outils de détection, en particulier par l’identification d’anomalies des sillons associées aux DCF2 de manière automatique puis visuelles. Cette étude a été réalisée à partir d’une des plus importante cohorte de patients (>80 patients) porteurs de DCF2 prouvée histologiquement. L’évaluation de la fréquence de chacun des signes en IRM nous a permis de démontrer que, bien qu’aucune anomalie ne soit visible dans 41% des cas, les différents signes chez les patients avec une IRM positive n’étaient jamais isolés et que la combinaison des 3 signes les plus évocateurs de DCF2 (épaississement cortical, flou de l'interface blanc-gris et « transmantle sign »), était retrouvée chez 27 patients (64%) suggérant que l’IRM puisse être un examen très caractéristique. En augmentant le champ magnétique de 1,5 à 3T en IRM le taux de détection n’est que peu modifié mais la caractérisation des DCF2 est améliorée en raison d’une meilleure visualisation du « transmantle sign », considéré comme une signature en IRM des DCF2. L’analyse automatisée des sillons basés sur le calcul d’un nouveau paramètre appelé « énergie sulcale » permet d’identifier des motifs sulcaux anormaux chez les patients porteurs de DCF2 dans la région centrale en comparaison aux sujets sains. Ce résultat souligne l'importance d’une étude des sillons et pourrait fournir un critère supplémentaire pour détecter et localiser la lésion chez des patients à IRM négative. Enfin, l’analyse visuelle des sillons par un reformatage 3D du cortex nous a permis de décrire un nouveau marqueur des DCF2 de la région centrale : un motif sulcal dénommé le "Power Button Sign". Compte tenu de son excellente reproductibilité et de sa spécificité, il pourrait être utilisé comme un nouveau critère diagnostic majeur de DCF2 de la région centrale. L’ensemble de ces résultat participe à la meilleure compréhension des phénomènes développementaux impliqués dans la physiopathologie des DCF2 et offre de nombreuses perspectives pour l’amélioration de leur détection en imagerie. / Focal cortical dysplasia type 2 (FCD2) is a common cause of intractable partial epilepsy surgically treatable. Their detection by MRI is an independent factor of good prognosis. The MR imaging diagnosis remains difficult with up to 40% negative MRI. Our main objective is to improve the detection of FCD2from conventional sequences, to assess the relevance of increased magnetic field and validate new tools for detection, in particular by identifying sulcal abnormalities associated with FCD2 automatically and visually. This study was carried out from one of the largest cohort of patients (> 80 patients) with histologically proven FCD2. The evaluation of the frequency of each MR signs showed that, although no abnormality is seen in 41% of cases, the different signs in patients with a positive MRI were never isolated and the combination of the 3 most suggestive signs of FCD2 (cortical thickening, bluring of the gray-white matter interface and "transmantle sign") was found in 27 patients (64%), indicating that MRI can be very suggestive. By increasing the magnetic field from 1.5 to 3T MRI detection rate is only slightly changed but characterization of FCD2 is improved thanks to a better visualization of the " transmantle sign " considered as a MR signature of FCD2. The automated sulcus analysis based on the calculation of a new parameter called "sulcal energy" identifies abnormal sulcal patterns in patients with FCD2 in the central region in comparison to healthy subjects. This result underlines the importance of the identification of sulci and could provide an additional criterion for detecting and locating the lesion in patients with negative MRI. Finally, the visual analysis of sulci by 3D reformatting of the cortex allowed us to describe a new MR sign of FCD2 in the central region: a sulcal pattern called the "Power Button Sign". Given its excellent reproducibility and specificity, it could be used as a new major diagnostic criterion of FCD2 in the central region. All these results contribute to the better understanding of the developmental processes involved in the pathophysiology of FCD2 and offers many opportunities for improving their MR detection.

This paper deals with aspect in the sign language and tries to introduce this phenomenon in connection to the Czech sign language where this issue is not yet described. Based on the knowledge of available Czech and English literature, the thesis deciphers terms that are used in relation to aspect in both, Czech and sign, languages and identifies the aspect groups that occur in sign languages. On the basis of these groups, the practical part analyzes the material of the Czech sign language in terms of aspect. The material obtained consists of speeches from deaf speakers, obtained from websites: Televizní klub neslyšících (TV show), Zprávy v českém znakovém jazyce (news), Tiché zprávy (interviews) and Weblik Portal (fairy tales). The method of elicitation combined with the intuitive reflection method is used in the analysis. The work gives a first insight into the broad phenomenon of the aspect and provides a basis for more detailed future research.

Some signs denoting substances and signs denoting events are formally and semantically related in the Czech sign language. These signs can be distinguished by different parameters. This study looked at the parameters of the relative duration of a signing, the use of mouthing, the juxtaposition of signs and the frequency and mode of motion. Signs denoting substances and signs denoting events can be clearly distinguished by those features n Czech sign language. Key words Czech sign language, sign languages, nouns, verbs, noun-verb distinction, word classes

Detta projektarbete har utförts som en del inom projektet ”Mulder – Döva nyanländas flerspråkiga situation i Sverige” vars syfte är att undersöka vuxna döva nyanländas språkinlärning. Projektarbetet fokuserar på teckenanvändningen hos döva nyanlända i Sverige. Inom arbetet har kvantitativa såväl som kvalitativa analyser på nyanländas teckenanvändning gjorts. Först analyseras antal och fördelning av olika teckentyper i svenskt teckenspråk (STS): lexikala tecken, avbildande tecken, pekningar, bokstavering, gester och även användningen av internationella tecken eller tecken från sitt eget hemland. Sedan studeras variationen i teckenval hos lexikala tecken samt handformstyp inom avbildande tecken. Döva nyanländas bakgrund såsom tillgång till teckenspråk sedan födseln och utbildning är högst varierande och därför har informanterna delats in i tre grupper för att jämföra dessa gruppers teckenanvändning. Deras resultat har sedan även jämförts med data från förstaspråksanvändare från en tidigare studie.     Resultatet från den kvantitativa analysen visar att döva nyanlända producerar betydligt fler avbildande tecken jämfört med förstaspråksanvändarna som visar en något högre produktion  av lexikala tecken och bokstavering. Döva nyanlända tenderar också att producera fler gester och tecken som inte är från STS, det vill säga internationella tecken eller tecken från sitt eget hemland. När det gäller användningen av pekningar visar det sig vara ganska jämt mellan döva nyanlända och förstaspråksanvändare. Resultatet från den kvalitativa analysen visar att fonologiska variationer i tecken förekommer hos döva nyanlända och att det kan bero på transfer från döva nyanländas förstaspråk. Valet av tecken och handform kan bero på graden av ikonicitet och döva nyanländas språkliga och kulturella bakgrund. Dessutom visar dessa resultat att det förekommer skillnader gällande teckenanvändning inom de tre grupperna beroende på deras bakgrund och utbildning, som också berörs i denna studie.  Slutligen visar projektarbetet att döva nyanländas tidiga tillgång till teckenspråk och utbildning har betydelse för språkinlärning. / This degree project has been carried out as part of the project "Mulder - Deaf migrants’ multilingual situation in Sweden". The purpose of that project is to investigate language learning in adult deaf migrants. The project focuses on the use of signs by deaf migrants in Sweden. Both quantitative as well as qualitative analyzes of deaf migrants’ use of signs have been made in this project. First, the number and distribution of different types of signs in Swedish Sign Language (STS) were analyzed: lexical signs, depicting signs, pointing, fingerspelling, gestures and also the use of International Sign or signs from their own home country. Then the variation in choice of sign in lexical signs as well as handshape types within depicting signs was studied. The background of deaf migrants such as their access to sign language since birth and education is highly varying and therefore they have been divided into three groups to compare these groups use of signs. Their results have also been compared with data from first language users in a previous study.     The results from the quantitative analysis show that deaf migrants produce significantly more depicting signs compared to first language users who show a slightly higher production of lexical signs and fingerspelling. Deaf migrants also tend to produce more gestures and signs that are not from STS, that is, International Sign or signs from their own home country. When it comes to the use of pointing, it turns out to be fairly even between deaf migrants and first language users. The results from the qualitative analysis show that phonological variations in signs occur in deaf migrants and that this may be due to transfer from their first language. The choice of sign and handshape may depend on the degree of iconicity and the linguistic and cultural background of deaf migrants. In addition, these results show that there are differences within the three groups as well, regarding use of signs, depending on their background and education, which is also discussed in this project. Finally, the project shows that deaf migrants' early access to sign language and education is important for language acquisition.

Masters of Science / The communication barriers between deaf and hearing society mean that interaction between these communities is kept to a minimum. The South African Sign Language research group, Integration of Signed and Verbal Communication: South African Sign Language Recognition and Animation (SASL), at the University of the Western Cape aims to create technologies to bridge the communication gap. In this thesis we address the subject of whole hand gesture recognition. We demonstrate a method to identify South African Sign Language classifiers using an eigenvector approach. The classifiers researched within this thesis are based on those outlined by the Thibologa Sign Language Institute for SASL. Gesture recognition is achieved in real time. Utilising a pre-processing method for image registration we are able to increase the recognition rates for the eigenvector approach.

Deaf individuals typically have access to 2 types of therapeutic services: interpretive (with an interpreter) and noninterpretive (with a sign-fluent therapist). Previous research indicates that the presence of an interpreter may hinder development of working alliance and attachment. There is a lack of empirical evidence assessing the effect of working alliance and attachment based on whether or not therapy incorporates an interpreter. The working alliance theory and the attachment theory were the theoretical foundations for this study. This study examined the difference between the strength of working alliance and attachment to the therapist given the presence or absence of an interpreter in therapy for Deaf individuals (N = 39) utilizing the Working Alliance Inventory and the Client Attachment to Therapist Scale. A multivariate analysis of variance was utilized to examine the differences between interpretive and noninterpretive services. The results indicated that individuals who received noninterpretive services had stronger working alliance and attachment with their therapist, which suggests that the type of therapy services Deaf individuals receive should strongly be considered. Accordingly, an increase of sign-fluent therapists would promote social change by providing more appropriate services that would remove barriers that hinder working alliance and attachment to the therapist.