Development of signs involving an oreintation of the place hand

[Matt Scheel]

Hi all, I am new to the group and was hoping someone here could help me out. I am interested in finding out whether or not signs that have place hand orientations (as in PEN/WRITE orienting up, or CAN'T with the palm down, or COOKIE with palm up) as distinctive features tend to develop later in children than signs that don't have distinctive place hand orientations (e.g. any signs where the place is not the other hand, or any sign where the orientation of the place hand is not a distinctive feature of the sign). If anybody knows of any studies regarding the development of signs in children as a function of place hand orientations or a related feature (e.g. signs involving both hands tending to develop later), I'd appreciate help so I can find them. Thanks for any help. 

Matt Scheel (scheel at scs.unr.edu)