Author: Dr. Susan Easterbrooks
Georgia State University
• Date submitted to deafed.net – March
24, 2006
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• An Overview of Systems for the
Development of English through
Visual Representations
•
Spring, 2002
• Susan R. Easterbrooks, Georgia State University
An Overview of Systems for the
Development of English through
Visual Representations
Spring, 2002
Susan R. Easterbrooks, Georgia State
University
English Based Sign Systems
• The purpose of the Englishbased sign systems is to
represent the structure of
spoken English through visual
means
Types of Visual Manual Codes
•Contact Sign
•Manually Coded
English
•Cued Speech
•Fingerspelling
•Augmentative
Communication
Manually Coded English
Invented sign systems that have
the purpose of visually
representing English.
Typically used in conjunction
with speech with the goal of
English literacy.
There are many MCE’s including
SEE I, SEE II, LOVE and CASE.
Contact Sign or Pidgin Sign
English (PSE)
A combination of ASL and English.
Tends to be more English.
This cannot be learned because it is
the natural result of bilingual
interaction and will change from
person to person.
Not a complete language.
Cued Speech
A visual communication system
that uses eight handshapes
positioned around the face to
help distinguish between sounds
which may look similar.
Used primarily with
speechreading.
Fingerspelling
 Each of the 26 letters of the
alphabet have a corresponding
sign.
Through finger spelling, words
may be spelled out for clarity.
This is used in conjunction with
either ASL or the MCE’s.
Augmentative Communication
Methods and/or devices which
supplement verbal communication.
May take many forms from very
simple to complex.
Includes pointing to items on a
board, gesturing, using programs for
synthesized speech, etc.
Goal is personal expression.
Discussion of Manually Coded English
•Advantages
•easier for parents
and teachers to learn
•aids in
speechreading
•allow for a mode of
communication while
learning ASL
•Disadvantages
•slower to use
•difficult to speak
and sign at the same
time
•signs often left out
in favor of speed
•literacy does not
appear to be
significantly
improved
Discussion of Contact Sign
• This form is used in communication
between people who do not use the
same language.
• It cannot really be chosen as an
option for communication because it
is not learned.
• Knowledge of either English or ASL
is necessary for this to happen.
Discussion of Cued Speech
•Advantages
•easy to learn
•helps to make sense
of distorted sound
•children learn to self
correct speech
•improves
speechreading in all
situations
•Disadvantages
•not commonly used
•there are few cued
speech
transliterators
•it is difficult for the
child to express
himself until mastery
is achieved
Discussion of Augmentative
Communication
• Typically only used when no other
mode is possible.
• Advantages
• simplifies input making it easier to
focus on the task/subject at hand
• pressure for speech is removed
• physical demands are decreased
Things to consider when choosing a
method
•Community or
Population
•Degree of Parental
Involvement
•Additional
Disabilities
Community or Population
• Certain areas are more likely to use a
particular mode.
• Large numbers of New Englanders
use ASL, however, there are only a
few small pockets of people who use
cued speech.
• It is best to research communicative
options in your area before
committing to one.
Degree of Parental Involvement
• When a mode is chosen the
parents must learn and use that
mode consistently for any
progress to occur.
Additional Disabilities
• This must be taken into
consideration because some
children will be unable to use
certain modes of communication.
• Some systems are more physically
taxing than others.
• Some systems are more cognitively
taxing than others.
Can Methods be Combined?
• Yes, more than one method can be
used at the same time.
• both ASL and MCE’s also use
fingerspelling
• receptive cued speech may be
combined with expressive sign
• contact sign, by definition, must be
combined with some other system
• augmentative communication is often a
bridge to or facilitator of speech and
speechreading
Glossary
• Lipreading - understanding speech
by watching the lips.
• Speechreading - understanding
speech by watching the talker.
• Lips, jaw, tongue, etc
• Transliterator - someone who
understands the mode and can
communicate with and speak for the
cuer.
References
• http://www.bsos.umd.edu/hesp/h
esp202/deafsign.htm
• http://clerccenter.gallaudet.edu/i
nfotogo/492/492-3.html
• http://www.cuedspeech.com/disc
over.cfm
• http://deaflibrary.org/asl.html
References Continued
• http://www.listenup.org/options1.htm
• http://www.remc11.k12.mi.us/lcisd/au
gment.htm
• Secord, W.A., Shames, G.H., & Wigg,
E.H. (1998). Augmentative and
Alternative Communication. In S.D.
Dragin (Ed.) Human Communication
Disorders (510-551). Boston: Allyn
and Bacon
Other Resources
• http://www.zak.co.il/deaf-info/
old/methods.html
• http://www.dpa.org.sg/signlang/html/
basics.html
• http://web7.mit.edu/CuedSpeech/cue_
definition.html
• http://www.emstac.org/resources/english_
language.htm
• http://tesol.edu/isaffil/intsec/f-teds.html
• http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/aslweb