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Matt OS X · Nov 11, 2004, 12:31 AM

Wanted to share you all that my older sister, Maureen, who was photographed by Apple company and published her on iSight poster related wtih Deaf people using iSight to communciate with other via iSight. Want to see what it looks like- click the link and there are some images in there.

Discuss.

iSight poster

TerryJ · Nov 11, 2004, 12:54 AM

Wow, Matt...that is really cool! The iSight has done wonders bringing people closer together and it looks like a great family set-up you guys have! Congrats!

TETENAL · Nov 11, 2004, 12:55 AM

That's cool! What does she say on the poster?

Couldn't deaf people just type when doing instant messaging? Or is this somehow better doing the signs visually?

michaelb · Nov 11, 2004, 01:07 AM

Excellent!

Originally posted by TETENAL:
Couldn't deaf people just type when doing instant messaging? Or is this somehow better doing the signs visually?

I could imagine it offers more human to human contact, with all the smiles and laughing and other gesture that just aren't possible using ASCII text.

Besides, wouldn't you want to chat to his sister, she's pretty!

mdc · Nov 11, 2004, 01:18 AM

that's awesome.

Matt OS X · 01:52 AM

Originally posted by TETENAL:
That's cool! What does she say on the poster?

Couldn't deaf people just type when doing instant messaging? Or is this somehow better doing the signs visually?

As for my 600th post!

it says:

" A telephone for the deaf. Maureen Klusza uses iSight to keep up with her family and friends. For the first time, she can sign at normal speed over the internet."

We talk on instant messaging, too but we prefer use iSight because visual is better - better understanding with sign language's true meaning rather than words on IM.

And here's some photo during photo shooting at her place.....

(A snapshot of us talking on isight while she shows off her poster that she got one for her own! ---Approx 6 feet tall poster!---)

TETENAL · Nov 11, 2004, 08:16 AM

I meant what's that sign she makes on the poster? If I had to guess I would say it looks like "chains".

Madrag · Nov 11, 2004, 08:59 AM

nice one!
(I woul think it is 'connecting', no?)

Matt OS X · Nov 11, 2004, 10:10 AM

Originally posted by Madrag:
nice one!
(I woul think it is 'connecting', no?)

Tetnal and Madrag:

Ha ha, You're almost right. This sign represents 2 words in one: "Together" and "Connected" in American Sign Language. This is the perfect word for iSight poster because we talk on iSight to keep in touch.

Powaqqatsi · Nov 11, 2004, 10:31 AM

Originally posted by Matt OS X:
This sign represents 2 words in one: "Together" and "Connected" in American Sign Language.

So the sign represents "sex" as well ?

Matt OS X · Nov 11, 2004, 10:34 AM

Originally posted by Powaqqatsi:
So the sign represents "sex" as well ?

Ha ha, no, you have a LONG way to go.

Powaqqatsi · Nov 11, 2004, 10:51 AM

Originally posted by Matt OS X:
Ha ha, no, you have a LONG way to go.

Hehe, well damn isn't sign language really hard ? I mean having signs for sooo much words. I really respect people who learn this (well most of them don't really have a choice..).
Will we see the poster somewhere in public ?

brapper · Nov 11, 2004, 11:09 AM

My greedy for gadgets side of me is wanting to ask if she got any cool Mac stuff from the deal? But my polite side is saying feel free to ignore the question.

Madrag · Nov 11, 2004, 01:19 PM

Originally posted by Matt OS X:
This sign represents 2 words in one: "Together" and "Connected" in American Sign Language

cool!
almost got it! (nice touch - two words in one)

angelmb · Nov 11, 2004, 05:36 PM

really wonderful

ManOfSteal · Nov 11, 2004, 05:56 PM

Wow, that's great...thanks for sharing!

milhous · Nov 11, 2004, 05:58 PM

damn, really awesome!

tooki · Nov 11, 2004, 06:14 PM

That's awesome. I mean, it's cool that Apple is showing it off, but it's even cooler that they created such a useful tool for the deaf community. (Whether that was intentional or not, I don't know!) I can't imagine how frustrating it would be to have no affordable way of communicating with people in your native language.

(For those of you that don't know, American Sign Language has its own separate grammar, completely unrelated to English, so it fits squarely the definition of being its own language. If you've ever noticed that the deaf sometimes make mistakes in their written English, it's because they aren't using their native language! I'm sure I'd make more mistakes in ASL than they do in English, though!)

tooki

Matt OS X · Nov 11, 2004, 10:40 PM

Originally posted by Powaqqatsi:

Will we see the poster somewhere in public ?

Only in San Fransico Apple store, Chicago (North Michgian) and I think in Toyko?.. So, I wish Apple include the small stores in each mall, too.

Matt OS X · Nov 11, 2004, 10:44 PM

Originally posted by tooki:

(For those of you that don't know, American Sign Language has its own separate grammar, completely unrelated to English, so it fits squarely the definition of being its own language. If you've ever noticed that the deaf sometimes make mistakes in their written English, it's because they aren't using their native language! I'm sure I'd make more mistakes in ASL than they do in English, though!)

tooki

tooki,

looks like to me that you know some about deaf culture, don't ya?

IamBob · Nov 12, 2004, 01:30 AM

I took ASL as my second language in high school. I had to push for it but it was worth it...

I tried getting permission at first but "The school only accepts/teaches French and Spanish." I ended up just going to the local community college and taking night classes. Afterwards I went to the HS's guidance counselor and we had a little chat. Needless to say, she didn't understand a thing I said in ASL and it was pretty easy for us to convince the board that I had completed my second language requirements.

It helped that I had a threatening* letter from my instructor and one from the deaf school in Salem...basically, shoot me down and they'd contact the media (*which I didn't know at the time). They quickly added ASL to their list of accepted languages and later started making arrangements for students to attend classes at the community college.

Later that year I took a teacher's assistant elective which was basically just volunteering in the special needs room at the junior high. Some days I'd follow the deaf kids to the normal classes and do translating. It was weird at first but really fun and rewarding.

Inevitably you catch some kids mocking and giggling and they get all defensive when you call 'em on it. I would tell 'em what they said sometimes.."I'm not as smart as I think I am"...not that they really said anything but I came up with a few good ones.

After a while though everyone gets used to the routine and some of the smarter/nicer kids take an interest. When they heard I had a summer job already lined up and was set to make $10/hr (a lot at the time!)...you can be sure at least one took ASL in HS!

..A feel-good story from my past. Anyway...

Simon · Nov 12, 2004, 04:18 AM

Congrats to your sister, Matt OS X. Beautiful poster.

I guess most of us here wouldn't mind Apple making an poster of us using their hardware.

I don't know ASL, well actually I don't know any SL at all. Are their differences between ASL and the SL in Germany or France for example?

Actually I'm pretty impressed by deaf people and their language. When I was a kid I used to watch them 'discuss' in front of our local Gemco store. I always wondered how they were able to discuss in groups of more than two or three people because you have to watch so many hands (and gestures) at the same time...

wataru · Nov 12, 2004, 05:18 AM

Congrats and all, but why isn't this in the lounge?

Millennium · Nov 12, 2004, 10:10 AM

Originally posted by TETENAL:
Couldn't deaf people just type when doing instant messaging? Or is this somehow better doing the signs visually?

They could just type, sure, just as hearing people can. But instant messaging via text has most of the same disadvantages for deaf people as it does for hearing people.

As others have already stated, ASL has its own grammar, which isn't related to English (in fact, ASL's roots come from French sign language, not British sign language, which is also quite different). But it goes beyond grammar; ASL has its own kinds of inflections and accents, and these don't show up in typed text any better than their vocal counterparts do. Facial and body expression also play important roles, and once again these don't translate well into text.

I don't actually know any sign language, but I went to college at the Rochester Institute of Technology, which hosts the National Technical Institute for the Deaf on its campus. I frankly should have taken the sign language courses there -they have one of the best programs- but even without taking those courses you can't help but learn a fair bit about the culture when you go there (for one thing, it's part of the orientation for hearing students).