Category: Hear No Evil - See No Evil
Ok. I’ve been waiting too damn long in asking this question. What is the difference between sign language and tactile sign language? Yes, I know that tactile is the more hands-on version. What I don’t know is whether or not they’re in fact two completely different systems.
To put it another way, would a sighted deaf person understand tactile, or would they think I’m some mutant alien from the planet Vorktron and run for their life screaming?
I’m asking because I’m considering taking ASL, and want to know whether or not I should bother. Or whether I should just learn tactile, learn both, or forget the whole endeavor altogether. That last one is not an option at this point.
Suggestions are welcome, advice would be appreciated, two Big-Macs, a large fries, a diet coke… Woops, wrong list.
lol
Isn't tactile sign language what deaf blind people use? Apparently a sighted deaf person would not understand the tactile version because it is quite different from the normal one.
I was wondering if there is anyone in the Dallas, Tx area that teaches or knows where I can go to learn basic tactile sign language. I called the Deaf Action Center, but they told me they never tought a VI person before. I might go to the first class to see if I will be able to learn, but the only thing is that we have to pay at our first class and there are no refunds. Thanks in advance if I get any help on this.
Hello all.
I'm not sure about the Brittish Sign language, since I'm not familiar with it, but here in the US, ASL is primarily the same whether tacticle or otherwise. It's a bit more challenge to do tactile though, for several reasons. First, a lot of the types of things one says is determined by facial expressions. For example, a statement may be turned in to a question by furrowing your eyebrows. This must be communicated differently using tactile ASL. Also, many deaf people with vision are not comfortable with tactile, which is understandable, as it involves a lot of touching the other person. Even many interpreters find it quite uncomfortable at first.
From experience, I would not recommend taking a class at a college. I tried this a couple of years ago, and found myself more frustrated afterword than before I started. If possible, it's best to get one on one training.
To Leel specifically: your best course of action depends on the context of your situation. I'd say the best bet for starting is to learn the manual alphabet, also known as finger spelling. While it's not even close to being as effective as a fluent signer, it is the very basic thing you can do. You will have more difficulty with people who do not have a high command on written or spoken English though, since ASL uses an entirely different gramatical structure than English.
To Rose: the only recommendation I can make to you specifically is to ask Randy Feille, who is the supervisor of deaf-blind services in Texas and who is also the contact person for the Ushers support group in Austin. Find his contact info Here
Yes, finger spelling is very basic, and can be time-consuming, depending on how fast each person spells and/or reads it. But it's also something any deaf or deaf-blind person is likely to know. There are quite a few deaf customers where I work, and because I know finger spelling, I am able to communicate with them fairly well. They are sighted, and so have had to learn to spell back into my hand, but at least I can talk to them, and am getting faster at reading as they spell back.
I have always wanted to learn sign, however when i tried well lets just say i started with a braille book which did not describe the manual alphabet, how annoying! they said it would take up too much space or something in the note. I rode the bus with deaf people when i lived in mississippi and i hate lack of communication so i felt really like crapl. plus it helps. I think my non verbal friend writes sentences with the asl structure and he has received a lot of crap about it on muds and such they call him retarded and he is a hell of a way from retarded when i fear he wont be able to do something the guy proves me wrong every time. I am off topic but yeah, it would help if i knew more on how asl works and could get a word for word guide on the manual alphabet. i have yet to find something that does not include pictures. ugg whats a girl to do?
In my case, I found a friend who knew the manual alphabet, and had her teach it to me. I don't think I could have learned it just from something that described it in writing. I needed to see her hands forming the letters and copy them ,and have her to tell me if I was doing it right, or if I needed to adjust something here or there. When I had learned the letters, we spent time having conversations in finger spelling, so I could try and get used to using it and reading it. I still suck at reading it, as Scott can tell you, but hopefully I'll get better with time. Eventually I'd like to learn tactile sign language as well, but I have no idea when that will be, or who I'd learn it from around here.
Whoa!
I had no idea this board had been touched since I last checked. Thank you everyone for your suggestions and opinions.
A bit more detailing on my part is in order, so all of you know what’s currently happening. I started signing in 04. I took ASL 1 and later ASL 2 at a local community college. When I started I had no Braille book, but my aunt was also interested in taking the class, so I received a lot of help from her. Also, the teacher found someone willing to sign in my hand during class. We were required to attend several Deaf Events, and so I was exposed to many deaf people. Not one of them expressed reluctance to sign to me. They were just happy I was willing to learn to sign to them.
So, a couple moves and 5 years later. I was way out of practice and wanting to get back into it again. I do still have my old textbook from my last class, which they did finally manage to transcribe, but practicing with a book was never enough. So I did some searching on Craigslist and found someone who leads an ASL practice group in a city nearby. I’ve been attending that since December, and I’ve been in the class a month. Has it all been rosy? Hell no. This time no one in the family was holding my hand (pardon the pun) and I had to organize everything on my own. Set up the appointment with Disabled Student Services, request a tactile assistant in the classroom, and then clear up the confusion between a tactile assistant and an interpreter. Lol That was a laugh. And I won’t lie. I worry like mad about whether I’ll do well in the class, and whether I should just give up. I know I’ve driven my friends well past insanity with my incessant worrying. But that doesn’t mean I’m giving up any time soon. Surrender is not on the horizon! Lol
Scott, you actually brought up an interesting point. I am aware that many deaf people would be uncomfortable with tactiling, but I have yet to encounter such discomfiture. Because of this however, I tend to be shy when reading someone’s hands. In fact, many think I’m not following their hands close enough. Of course I can’t speak for everyone, this is just what I’ve experienced so far. And the operative phrase is “so far.”
So, that’s what’s going on with me, and that’s why I started this thread in the first place. I thought that tactile sign was a completely different system, with different letters, handshapes, motions etc. Again, thanks to all who responded, and to all who’ve managed to get this far without their screenreader starting to cry.
P.S. I wish I could go the 1-on-1 rout, but I've seen the rates and I just ain't that rich.