Around the College: Grown of ASL a sign of the times

Megan Dorland, right, and Sarah Rupel, students in a Level IV ASL course, lead a class tour of the IU Art Museum. Students in Assistant Professor Amy Cornwell's classes work in pairs and lead visits to various sites, teaching the class the relevant sign language.

O F F   T H E   W E B

Here's a sampling of some of the offerings on College-connected World Wide Web pages.

A S T R O N O M Y

The WIYN Observatory, located in Arizona and partly owned and operated by IU, provides up-to-the-minute visual updates and the latest advances in astronomical spectroscopy and imaging: http://www.astro.indiana.edu/wiyn.shtml

H O N O R S   D I V I S I O N

The new Honors Division Web site carries online discussions of current events and important issues, as well as information about the honors program: http://www.indiana.edu/~iubhonor

C O G N I T I V E   S C I E N C E S

The Letter Spirit Project is an attempt to model central aspects of human high-level perception and creativity on a computer. Research focuses specifically on the creative act of artistic letter-design: http://www.cogsci.indiana.edu/letterspirit.html

In addition, ASL has become more visible nationwide as the Americans with Disabilities Act has required that programs, services, and activities be accessible to individuals with disabilities. One of the ways of fulfilling this requirement for people who are deaf or hard of hearing is to provide access to communication, for example, by providing qualified interpreters.

At IU, says Cornwell, "students' reasons for taking the course vary, from those who were exposed to ASL in Girl Scouts, to folks who have relatives who are deaf, to educators who know deaf children are being mainstreamed into the public schools."


Jeff Preston chose ASL because it is "out of the ordinary" and because he believed it would serve him well in the police force. Tammy and Frank Johnson, both returning students working on their second degrees, were overwhelmed by a semester of French and found the visual aspect of ASL more appealing. They switched to ASL to fulfill their foreign language requirement.

"With French, it would have been very unlikely for us to ever have a chance to interact with French people, but with ASL we were provided the opportunity to mingle with people who are deaf and to really use the skills we learned," says Tammy Johnson. The couple both work in hospitals and have been able to use the language in their jobs, helping patients who are deaf.

Although some students may take ASL thinking it might be easier to learn than a spoken language, Preston says that's not the case.

"Aside from the fact that there are no verb tenses to memorize in ASL, the nuances of the language are just as difficult to pick up as a proper accent in a verbal language," he says.

For instance, a slight change in facial expression can change the meaning of what the signer is saying.

"Facial grammar is extremely important in conveying a thought, an idea, or an opinion," Preston says. "Think about how you would express sarcasm without changing the tone of your voice - pretty difficult, but good signers can use their hands and face to express any emotion imaginable."

Cornwell describes ASL as "a living, evolving, and fully functional language" that is not only a means of communication, but also a symbol of cultural unity among deaf people. Preston says he has been exposed to more than a language while studying ASL.

"ASL has been one of the most worthwhile classes I have attended in my four years at IU," he says. "I have been able to interact with members of the deaf community in the area, and I have shared their very special culture. What amazes me is that most deaf people I have met say quite bluntly that they would not want to be hearing, even if it were medically possible. ASL is the deaf community's natural language, and one that more Americans should be exposed to."
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