Includ-ed, red europea de educación inclusiva

Summary

"SignOnOne" is a web-based English course for deaf and hard-of-hearing people who use sign language as their first or preferred language and have no previous knowledge of English.

"SignOnOne" can be used for free directly via the website; there is no download, log-in, etc. necessary in order to facilitate the use of the program. With respect to the negative experiences of many deaf people in school, there are also no entrance exams, no tests, no keeping track of and counting mistakes, etc. The navigation is free, although we recommend doing the lessons in the correct order.

The contents include ten lessons (English texts for basic topics) with translations into the six national sign languages of the partner countries (sentences, words and phrases) - Germany, Czech Republic, Hungary, Iceland, Norway, Spain/Catalunya. There are also signed grammar explanations and interactive exercises as well as a word list of the complete vocabulary of the course. Optional features include animations to visualize the contents of the English sentences and videos (of a native speaker's face) with sound to help with the pronunciation  - hard-of-hearing users may listen to the audio files, while the deaf can use them for lip-reading.

As added value, "SignOnOne" can also be used to compare and/or learn signs from different sign languages or even for teaching the national sign languages of the partners.

The project "SignOnOne" was submitted due to the feedback for "SignOn!" (www.sign-on.eu) as an intermediate course for Internet English and international communication, where many deaf people expressed the need for a similar course for complete beginners.

Project object:

To develop a beginners' course in English for adult deaf users with no previous knowledge of English. "SignOnOne" demonstrates the 'sign bilingual' way to teach foreign written/spoken languages to deaf sign language users.

Methodology

In many European countries deaf education is still more focused on spoken language than on sign language and bilingual instruction. As the written language of their home country is a second language for many deaf people, foreign languages are even harder to learn. Simply presenting the content in written form is not enough. Therefore "SignOnOne" and its predecessor "SignOn!" use the national sign languages of the partner countries as languages of instruction. The course is based on immersion into the target language, i.e. English, and various modes of translation (each sentence, each word, phrases).

Target

A free, functional multimedia course for beginners, aimed at deaf adults who use a sign language as their first or preferred language; also, to provide teachers of English for the deaf with a course which may be used in class or for independent study at home

Good practice innovations

A fully functional multimedia course for beginners with six national sign languages as languages of instructions, providing the users with various translation modes, signed grammar explanations, a signed word list and interactive exercises.

There is a lack of materials for teaching English to the deaf, using national sign languages as languages of instructions. As "SignOnOne" uses sign language, it is  directly accessible even without a teacher, so that the users may study on their own (e.g. watching grammar explanations, learning words, doing the exercises, etc.), everywhere and anytime. Moreover, there are no tests, no grades and the navigation is free, in order to encourage the target group to use the course and to experiment with English on their own.

Good practice achievements

A fully functional multimedia course for beginners with six national sign languages as languages of instructions, providing the users with various translation modes, signed grammar explanations, a signed word list and interactive exercises.
"SignOnOne" includes a cognitive approach by providing the user with animations as visual representations of the content of each sentence. The additional videos for lip-reading give the users an approximate impression of the English pronunciation which may differ widely from the written form.
The programming of "SignOnOne" allows for the addition of new contents or new sign languages without advanced programming skills.

Project partners and other stakeholders

Project partners:

• > Universität Klagenfurt, Zentrum für Gebärdensprache und Hörbehindertenkommunikation /Center for Sign Language and Deaf Communication (Coordinator) / Austria
• > Masarykova univerzita (Masaryk University, Support Centre for Students with Special Needs) /  Czech Republic
• > Universitat de Barcelona (Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology – Faculty of Teacher Training) / Spain
• > Samskiptamiðstöð heyrnarlausra og heyrnarskertra (The Communication Centre for The Deaf and Hard of Hearing) / Iceland
• > Nyugat-magyarországi Egyetem Benedek Elek Pedagógiai Kar (University of West Hungary, Pedagogical Faculty) / Hungary
• > Møller kompetansesenter (Møller Resource Centre) / Norway

Associated partners:

• ILLESCAT, Catalan Deaf Association, Spain

Lepkeszárny Alapítvány (Butterflywings Foundation), Hungary

Evaluation

The overall feedback from the deaf users and deaf teachers (mid-term and final evaluations for "SignOn!" and "SignOnOne") was very positive. About 90% of them found the texts interesting. The possibility to compare the grammatical structures and the syntax of the national sign languages to English was mentioned as especially helpful. The various translation modes were well-received (although the external evaluator argued that the word tab was less important for adult learners), and many kept comparing the signs from different national sign languages. Some test persons liked the signed grammar explanations very much (e.g. the external evaluator), while to others they appeared too long and difficult. As for the animations, opinions were divided: while some liked them, others, like the external evaluator, thought them more suitable for school children than for adults. All in all, the program received praise; especially, as teaching materials for sign language users are still scarce. The deaf external evaluator who evaluated it from the perspective of a professional educator called it "widely accessible" and a "good tool".