Nebraska: State board recognizes ASL

[Harold F. Schiffman]

LINCOLN, Neb. -- The Nebraska State Board of Education adopted a policy on
Wednesday recognizing American Sign Language as a language that can be
offered in elementary through high school classes. ASL relies on gestures,
facial expressions and body language. The silent language has its own
grammatical rules and syntax. While used primarily by the deaf and hard of
hearing and their friends and families, ASL is attracting a growing number
of hearing students.

Approval of the policy will help bring about broader acceptance of ASL as
its own language, which the deaf community has been seeking for several
years. Forty-one other states recognize ASL as a language for public
schools and more than 100 four-year universities accept it for foreign
language requirements.  Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press.

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