Toward International Multi-sign Languages

An extensive research study was conducted into the trend in educational institutions towards the teaching of sign languages using the Web and the new advances in multimedia computers. A sign language is a visual language and therefore is easier taught by the use of pictures and other multimedia assets. Today´s computers allow the average home user to see more than a still picture and a description to explain a word in sign language. Multimedia computers allow the use of audio and video footage to explain the signed word with a spoken as well as written description. The key to expressive and receptive use of sign language and finger spelling is exposure. Sign language classes provide exposure, as do extracurricular activities and required interaction time. Given the time constraints of teaching both a language and interpretation of that language, ways to increase exposure time during the process were looked for. The World Wide Web has become a resource that provides increased exposure to finger spelling and sign language vocabulary. The paper introduces system requirements and design process, as well as a prototypal application for developing an online international multi-sign languages interactive system. The system will provide dictionaries and editors to provide services for multi-international sign languages for objects and their correspondence words and phrases with their finger spelling. This enables several classes of users to use this kind of facility, and enhance the communication abilities between deaf people and those who are not familiar with the sign languages and help them to learn it in a different, interesting way using the computer or the Web.