“SIGN LANGUAGE AND E-LEARNING ”, ISLANDS CENTRE, PRESTON UK, 12-13 SEPT 08

[Gerard Meijssen]

Hoi,
For your information, I am a self appointed champion for the good cause of
SIgnWriting.. I am also a member of the language committee of the Wikimedia
Foundation and a board member of the World Language Documentation Centre.

At the Wikimedia Foundation we aim to bring information to all the people of
the world. One of the tools we use to achieve that goal is by supporting
Wikipedia in over 250 languages. We are working on the localisation of the
MediaWiki in over 300 linguistic entities and we have processes in place to
add more languages on request.

The language committee of the Wikimedia Foundation received a request for a
Wikipedia in American Sign Language and after some study I found that
SignWriting is needed to achieve this. There is a need for modifications of
the MediaWiki software necessary in order to support SignWriting ...
SignWriting will be the first top down language. I am really happy that the
SignWriting Foundation is supportive of this proposal and it has planned the
realisation for the necessary extension.

When we realise a ASL Wikipedia, ownership of the project will be with its
community. This community will consist of children and adults. They will
write their own Wikipedia in their own language. We hope to make it a
showcase project that will be the envy of the signing world. This envy we
hope to channel into Wikipedia in British, French, Flemish and why not,
Ethiopean Sign language.

When you have a conference on sign language and e-learning, it seems obvious
to me that at least the potential of SignWriting should be discussed. I know
that the reality in Britain is such that the possibility of writing sign
languages is still very much an academic question. In countries like Belgium
and Germany it is daily practice to teach kids their language in their
mother tongue and as study proves, this has a lasting positive influence on
the academic career of these kids.

So given the subject of this conference and given that scientists are not
afraid to consider scientific issues, it would seem to me that this is
exactly a subject that deserves some of your attention. If this message
helps move the notion of SignWriting slightly from only a scientific issue
to a practical consideration, I wil be not totally unhappy to have annoyed
you with this message.
Thanks,
       Gerard

On Sat, May 24, 2008 at 4:59 PM, Mike Morgan <mwmosaka at gmail.com> wrote:

> Gerard, Goeiedaag (Eveneing actually, at least here in Bombay)!
>
> Hmm ... No, you are right. I too failed to see a "plug" for SignWriting in
> the notice ... BUT also fail to see anything in the program(me) which ipso
> facto precludes its discussion ... I am sure anyone willing to contribute to
> the discussion from THAT angle will be more than welcomed (within reason, of
> course ...) In fact ANY angle, as long as it falls within the scope:
> "e-learning and distance education". ... Ulrike can correct me if I am wrong
> ...
>
> On Sat, May 24, 2008 at 3:01 PM, Gerard Meijssen <
> gerard.meijssen at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Hoi,
>> Reading your program, it seems not to include anything about SignWriting.
>> [...  ... ]
>> Thanks,
>>      Gerard
>>
>>
>> On Sat, May 24, 2008 at 11:21 AM, Ulrike Zeshan <uzeshan at uclan.ac.uk>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> WORKSHOP "SIGN LANGUAGE AND E-LEARNING", ISLANDS CENTRE, PRESTON UK
>>> The International Centre for Sign Languages and Deaf Studies is hosting
>>> a workshop on "Sign language and e-learning" on September 12-13,
>>> 2008. The workshop will be held at the University of Central Lancashire,
>>> Preston, UK and aims at discussing the use of e-learning and distance
>>> education through sign language in an international context....
>>
>>
>
>
> MWM || マイク || Мика || माईक || માઈક || ਮਾਈਕ
> ================
> Dr Michael W Morgan
> Managing Director
> Ishara Foundation
> Mumbai (Bombay), India
> ++++++++++++++++
> माईकल मोर्गन (पी.एच.डी.)
> मेनेजिंग डॉयरेक्टर
> ईशारा फॉउंडेशन (मुंबई )
> ++++++++++++++++
> 茂流岸マイク(言語学博士)
> イシャラ基金の専務理事・事務局長
> ムンバイ(ボンベイ)、インド
>
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