use of sign language in Jordan

[Steve Slevinski]

Barbara O'Dea wrote:
> And how about the English-speaking person with severe dyslexia who 
> cannot read or write English but creates a poem or a novel for someone 
> else to read and write? hmmmmm, is that person "literate"???

That person is illiterate.  You are talking about oral tradition.  
Illiterate is not a judgment, it is a state of being.  There are many 
programs for adults who admit they are illiterate.  When an adult is 
illiterate and wants to change he learns to read.  He does not try and 
change the real meaning of literacy.

I will not change my definitions because of pity for another person.  
Dyslexia is emotional but off topic. Besides, Deaf are not disabled.  
Their brains work fine.  Their brain's language center is wired to the 
eye.  Deaf can and should be held to the same language and literacy 
standards as hearing.

ASL Literacy in college is a joke.  It's not about literacy, it's about 
knowledge, history, manual tradition, and presentation.

Sign language is important because it is language!  Literacy is 
important because is improves the brains ability to use language.  Just 
because you change the definition of literacy doesn't mean you'll get 
the benefits of literacy.

You can not make literacy with a video camera.  That's a performance.  
Writing is more than pressing a button on a video camera.  It is near 
impossible to edit a video to replace a single sign.  Wikipedia has 
mostly rejected the idea of a video encyclopedia for ASL for this reason.

Regards,
-Steve

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