Sign-To-Text Interpreting (Was Interpreters as Typists)

[Steve Slevinski]

Mark,

There are 2 projects that will be very interesting to watch this year, 
both involving Wikipedia: one will be a video version for ASL, the other 
will be a written version for ASL. 

I'd agree that the quantity and quality of literature matters, but I 
think this makes my point even more.  If manual tradition does not 
translate well to a written tradition, why use the manual tradition when 
the written tradition is requested or required?

How can a deaf student in a classroom take notes?  They could write in 
English, video record themselves signing, or they could write in ASL.  
No contest.  The simple act of note taking will develop their literacy 
skills.  While it would be great to have a long and extensive literary 
tradition to draw upon, it is not required.  And if they choose to use 
their newfound literary skills to tackle literacy in a second language, 
they will find greater success with less effort.  Projects and studies 
around the world have confirmed this obvious idea.

The written ASL tradition is wide open.  We need great writers.  This 
may be a negative for some, for others it's the opportunity of a lifetime. 

Regards,
-Steve

PS - A great example...

The Cat in the Hat by Dr Seuss
Translated into ASL by Cherie Wren
With Permission from Dr Seuss Enterprises Inc.
 http://www.signwriting.org/archive/docs6/sw0517-Cat-In-The-Hat-ASL.pdf
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