In the debate over continuities versus discontinuities in the emergence of language, sign language is not taken to be the antithesis, but is presented as the antecedent of spoken languages. (Author/HP)

The historically attested change of two-handed signs on the face to one-handed variants, which occurs in two historically related sign languages, French Sign Language and American Sign Language, is used to test variation theory. The results of the study support viewing languages in a dynamic framework. (AMH)

A study utilizing deaf children investigating the question, "must a child experience language in order to learn language?" found that the children themselves actually devise their own communications system. There was no evidence that the childrens' language was an imitation of their mother's. (SL)

Results of a 10-week program in which 32 moderately retarded persons (3-19 years old) were taught to use American Indian Sign Language (AMERIND) suggested that AMERIND may be preferable to American Sign Language because of its concreteness and its intelligibility to untrained observers. (CL)

A study involving six institutionalized retarded males was designed to determine if sign-object and sign-word training would lead to acquisition of word-object associations. (Author)

This paper examines the assignment and use of name signs in the deaf community. A total of approximately 450 individual name signs were collected, recorded, and analyzed. (CFM)

Evaluation of a program which taught six severely mentally retarded individuals (ages 8-25) to sign interactively with each other found participants showed increased signing skills in a training play situation, generalized use of these skills in a second play situation, and maintained the trained skills over a 2 to 4 month period. (Author/DB)

A national sample of 414 juniors and seniors in high schools for hearing impaired students was surveyed with an Attitudes Toward Alcohol scale developed for this purpose and administered in sign language. Four factors (hedonism, concern with health, value structure, and addiction) were identified as contributing to negative attitudes toward…

The article describes development in Illinois of the Department of Rehabilitation Services Sign Language Assessment Tool. The instrument is designed to evaluate the level of receptive and expressive sign language proficiency of rehabilitation personnel serving the deaf. (DB)

The Spoken Language Predictor (SLP) can help determine the most appropriate communication mode in educating a profoundly hearing impaired child. The measure provides weighted scores for hearing capacity, language competence, nonverbal intelligence, family support, and speech communication attitude and results in three possible educational…

Argues that the beginnings of language need to be sought not in the universal abstract grammar proposed by Chomsky but in the evolution of the everyday interaction of the human species. Studies indicate that there is no great gulf between spoken language and nonverbal communication. (SED)

An elective sign language class for hearing and hearing impaired secondary students has resulted in positive effects, including increased peer sensitivity and improved communications. (CL)

Fifteen deaf elementary-age children were observed in free play, and their interactions were videotaped. Differences were noted in the interaction and communication skills of children with early sign language experience and orally trained deaf children with late sign language experience. (CL)

Describes discourse development in the sign language of 24 profoundly deaf children. Findings indicate children were acquiring appropriate discourse strategies comparable to those used by hearing children in spoken conversations and adult deaf signers. (DF)