Deaf stuff: January 2007 Archives

John's doing a load of instruction online these days, check out these ASL 1 samples.

Benjamin forwarded this info on Deaf video: the street finds its own uses (again) along with more discussion here.

There are loads of links at the first site above, and more if one keeps scrolling through the comments (an interesting discussion - the only objection I've had so far is the post about written forms of ASL and comparing it to the Chinese ideograph system...need to think on why this bothers me - stereotypes both ways? about ASL, and about Chinese?

CecilyS (msg #9) posted two links, one for and another for a Deaf blogger, ridor9th (writing in English). My friend (btw!) Amanda reviews books and movies. She also sent a link about the Power of Media for the Deaf in Finnish Sign Language with English subtitles.

There's much to investigate here (some rainy day?).... Def/Deaf Poetry, a wikisite and corporate site on sign-writing (apparently not originating from within the Deaf community; seems different from the system that friends of Steve Nover were working on some years back), and the gamble by "Making Light" to categorize Deaf videos by key without knowing the language also intrigues me.

Coming in March to a PBS station near you:

Quoted in full from an email by the Justice for All moderator and passed along...thanks!

PBS Documentary Explores 200 Years of Deaf Life in America

"Through Deaf Eyes," a two-hour PBS documentary exploring nearly
200 years of Deaf life in America, will air early next year. The
film was inspired by the exhibition, "History Through Deaf Eyes,"
curated by Jack R. Gannon of Gallaudet University.

The documentary will air nationally on PBS on Wednesday, March 21
at 9 p.m. ET (check local listings).

The film presents the shared experiences of American history
family life, education, work, and community connections - from the
perspective of deaf citizens. Interviews include community
leaders, historians, and deaf Americans with diverse views on
language use, technology and identity.

Bringing a Deaf cinematic lens to the film are six artistic works
by Deaf media artists and filmmakers: Wayne Betts, Renee Visco,
Tracey Salaway, Kimby Caplan, Arthur Luhn, and Adrean Mangiardi.

Poignant, sometimes humorous, these films draw on the media
artists' own lives and are woven throughout the documentary. But
the core of the film remains the larger story of Deaf life in
America -- a story of conflicts, prejudice and affirmation that
reaches the heart of what it means to be human.

Major funding for "Through Deaf Eyes" is provided by the National
Endowment for the Humanities, Corporation for Public Broadcasting,
PBS, The Annenberg Foundation and the National Endowment for the
Arts. Private individuals have also contributed to the funding of
this project. The extensive outreach campaign is funded in part
by Sign Language Associates. Outreach partners are the National
Association for the Deaf, Gallaudet University, the National
Technical Institute for the Deaf at Rochester Institute of
Technology, and California State University-Northridge. As part
of the outreach campaign, numerous local organizations, some in
association with their public television stations, will mount
events and discussions exploring the issues raised in the film.

A comprehensive Web site, found at http://www.pbs.org,
accompanies the film. The site includes interviews with the deaf
filmmakers whose work is featured in the documentary, while also
inviting viewers to submit their own stories, photographs, and
films. These will become part of the archival collection of
Gallaudet University. A companion book is being published by
Gallaudet University Press.

Source: PBS
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/soundandfury/culture/deafhistory.html