The Beat Within

How about some awesome ASL-translated music for the dreary, rainy day? I think it's just what the doctor ordered!!

Signing in a Hearing World

When we were returning from our trip to Williamsburg this past Saturday, we decided to stop for lunch at the Candle Light Restaurant. It is an out-of-the-way little place that is frequented more by locals than tourists, and on previous trips we were impressed by the home-style quality of the food.



Although the building had been remodeled a bit (and made more accessible!), the owner and staff were the same as was the menu. A server came by and took our orders, and right after that another person stopped at our table and asked about our drinks. I mentioned that the server had taken the orders, but this person said she would get the drinks.



I noticed something in her speech, a quality to her voice that seemed both familiar and different at the same time. I couldn't quite put my finger on it. But the next time she stopped by our table, I figured it out!



She had apparently seen all of us signing to each other, so when she returned to the table, she also signed. She was Deaf or hard-of-hearing and the quality I heard in her voice was that of a person who leans to speak without fully being able to hear.



Ronnie was thrilled! He loves to come across people who sign, people with whom he can easily communicate. I love to see him get so excited, but it also is a bit sad.



That which most of us take for granted - the ability to converse with others - doesn't come easily to someone who is Deaf and lives in a hearing world. I wonder if it bothers him, or if he is just accustomed to it...???

A Beautiful Language

I admit that I'm a bit of a language snob. I love the English language and the way some people can spin delicious stories. But it does bother me when people fracture the English language.

I realize that writers often take many liberties with convention, and that makes for more interesting reading. But I don't believe that liberties with spoken English always turn out well.

I'm the same way with sign language.

Sign language to me is a beautiful expression of language. But as with slang in English, slang or sloppy signing bothers me. I love to watch someone sign with clarity and expression. Too often though, signers get sloppy. Ronnie is just such a signer.

When someone gets sloppy with signing, it sometimes can seem disrespectful, and it is definitely harder to follow in a conversation. Maybe that is what seems disrepectful to me...

Here is a wonderful example of someone who, in my opinion, is a beautiful signer. Clear, concise signs full of meaning, this person is a joy to watch! I hope that I can be like her..

Good News Friday

Here are a few stories I found this week.

Although the robot in this story looks a little creepy to me, apparently making it look as human-like as possible has a real benefit for children who are autistic.

Finally, my conservative and not-very-disability-friendly state is doing something right. Due to the efforts of some students from Northern Virginia, sign language may now be offered as a foreign language credit in Virginia schools - assuming the Governor signs the bill. Come on, Bobby, do the right thing.

While being able to 'see' Facebook photos might not be my first choice for someone who is blind, the technology behind this effort holds great promise!

And one more bit of technology - We may not use cash as often as we once did, but there are still times when it comes in handy or is necessary, and that can pose some problems for the visually impaired. LookTel has released a Money Reader app for the IPhone that can recognize bills up to $100 demonination and then speak the amount to the person who is blind. How cool is that?!



Happy weekend, everyone!

Kinect Me!

Just when I was about to put my foot down and tell the kids that we did NOT need yet another video game system in our house, Microsoft comes out with a new Xbox console with special features for the Deaf. How can I refuse now?

Based on Kinect, Microsoft's movement tracking technology, games can be played on the console without holding any sort of controller. The player's body directs the game play. It is similar to the Wii, but the Wii does still require holding one or two controllers to direct a game.



But one of the most substantial features is that, not only does the system recognize gameplay movement, it also detects American Sign Language. This will allow fluent users to input letters, words and even entire phrases to be interpreted as readable data.

At first I wasn't sure how this feature could be applied in a real life home situation. But this video, available on the Xbox website, makes it clear. Pay close attention at about the 45 second mark. You will see a boy come into the room and using his voice only, he will pause and start to play a movie. If that boy had been Deaf, he could have directed both the Pause and the Play in sign language.

I would love to see what other things could be done with sign language and this game console. It's not yet available, but I have read that it will be in stores for the 2010 holiday season. If anyone does get one, please let me know what you think.

Who's Right?

Have you seen this news story?

Emma is 8 years old, and her parents are not married. Emma is deaf, as is her father, but Emma also has cochlear implants. Emma's mother has taken Emma's father to court, hoping that the court will force the dad to make Emma use her implants when she visits him. Currently, both Emma and her father communicate via sign language.

Emma's mom, in court documents "has stressed the importance of wearing the devices at all times for continued progress with her hearing and speech."

Emma's father said, "I’m willing to have her do whatever makes her comfortable. I want to give my daughter her own choices in life."

Emma, when she is with her father, says she wants to "be deaf like daddy."

How would you handle this situation? I don't believe there is a right or wrong answer, but I wonder what the court will ultimately decide. I know that for me and my deaf children, being deaf is not a disability.

I am not a proponent of cochlear implants for my children, but I do not judge parents who make that choice for their children. When I feel my children can make their own decisions about cochlear implants, I will do whatever I can to support those decisions.

What are your thoughts?