PRODUCT INFORMATION

Why HyperSign?  Many texts and videotaped lexicons of ASL exist. The texts are one dimensional and do not adequately illustrate the motion or the changes in meaning which facial expressions add to the sign. While video tapes add motion and the facial expressions, their inherent linear nature is a significant detriment to their effective use in learning ASL.  People learn and retain best what they need and what serves a purpose in their daily lives. When sign language is taught to hearing adults, one method used is to teach vocabulary in categories. When these same adults go to use this vocabulary either with their own hearing-impaired children or with Deaf adults, their communication is limited to only known vocabulary.

HyperSign was developed to meet many of the needs perceived as hearing people attempt to learn a language of another culture ... a language very different in content, form, and use from English or other spoken languages.  While this product is centered around a video dictionary of approximately 2000 basic ASL signs, many features have been included to enhance the learning experience and increase the potential for success in learning, retaining and using ASL.

It provides instructional text in Spanish and English.  Features includes full motion video, age level specific vocabulary, everyday phrases and a host of games and activities.  With the help of life-like photographs and animated hands, you'll be able to master finger spelling at your own speed and pace, quickly and easily.

EDUCATIONAL FEATURES:

HyperSign addresses the following for sign language learners:

• Repeated exposure to the sign vocabulary (learners retain signs that they use frequently)
• Exposure to Deaf signers in order to learn the appropriate, correct signs
• Extensive practice reading and using signs in many different contexts
• Opportunity to see the motion of the sign
• Opportunity to view and review the suprasegmental aspects of each sign which can change the
• Meaning of the base sign
• Understanding of the rules which govern the use of signs
• Understanding of the culture of Deaf persons
• Access to on-demand individualized, private, and self-paced instruction for peers and family members

The Child’s dictionary provides a visual interface. Each word in this dictionary has been carefully chosen so that it can be accompanied by an easily recognizable picture (from the Mayer-Johnson library). The words were chosen from the text Basic Vocabulary and Language Thesaurus for Hearing-Impaired Children by Daniel Ling and Agnes Ling.   The vocabulary has been grouped into 26 categories, each containing about 25 words. Each category title is represented in picture and written forms.

PRODUCT FEATURES:

Full Motion Video:  The full motion video of ASL signs include the suprasegmental features (facial expressions or gestures accompanying the sign) which change their meanings. Each sign has a base sign representing the one most commonly used in daily conversation. If there is more than one sign which fits that word, the dialectical or semantic variations of the signs are also available.

Age Level Specific Vocabulary:  Since vocabulary varies with age, HyperSign provides access to the video dictionary at three levels. Users of the adult’s dictionary have access to all 2000 signs. The teen dictionary is a subset of the adult dictionary.  The child’s dictionary was specially designed for non-readers and pre-readers with each word accompanied by an easily recognizable picture.

Spanish and English:  Since Spanish is the second most commonly used first language in this country, the program is designed to provide instructional text in either Spanish or English.

Activities:  Games are fun. They enhance the learning process and they increase retention. Included games for children (Which One?, Matching Game and Tic Tac Toe), and teenagers and adults (Crossword Puzzle, Name That Sign , What’s My Sign?, and You First!).

Custom Word Lists:  Often teachers or parents will want to focus attention on certain specific lists of words. This program allows teachers or parents to create lessons containing specific lists of signs selected from either the adult, teen or child’s dictionaries for classroom or in-home use.

Everyday Phrases:  Language learning includes more than learning the words of a language. The words need to be combined to form sentences. Included are a number of everyday phrases chosen to give users something to say.

Student Sign In Option:  If you have turned tracking on in the Student Manager utility, the Student Sign In... item on the File menu is active. Students must select this item and sign in (enter their name, ID and the group/section to which they are assigned). After signing in, the program will track and record student usage of the program.

ACTIVITIES INCLUDE:

Learning sign language is a lot of fun for children. To add to the excitement of learning a new language, included are three activities especially designed for children.

Which One?
This game gives children additional practice on recognizing signs and is appropriate for even very young children. When you choose Which One? from the Activities menu, a new screen is displayed with 3 pictures in the middle of the screen and the movie window on the right. You will click on the Play button  to see a person signing one of the words represented by the pictures.  You can view the movie as many times as you wish. When you recognize the sign, click on the picture representing the sign from the three choices. If you are correct, the happy face lights up, a bell rings and a happy face is displayed in the counter under the faces. If you are wrong, the sad face lights up and a message is spoken. No marker is placed in the counter. After two wrong guesses, the picture for the correct answer is highlighted and the movie showing the sign is played before proceeding with the game.  Each game consists of nine questions unless there are fewer than nine items in the chosen word list.

Tic Tac Toe
Children of all ages know how to play Tic Tac Toe.  HyperSign’s version of Tic Tac Toe is a little different in that the goal is to help children learn various signs within the context of this familiar children’s game. When you chose Tic Tac Toe from the Activities menu a screen is displayed showing the typical “tic tac toe” game board with all nine spots occupied with the same picture of a little girl.  To start the game, click on the picture occupying the position on the game board you would like to place a “happy face”. The program places a question mark in the chosen position on the game board, displays three pictures in the boxes below the game board and displays the first frame of a movie in the movie window.  To place a “happy face” in the chosen game board position, you need to identify which of the three pictures represents the sign shown in the movie. Click on the Play button to view the sign. Then click on the picture that represents the sign shown. You get two chances to identify the correct picture. If you correctly identify the sign, a “happy face” is displayed in the chosen game board position; if you are incorrect, a “sad face” is displayed.  The game continues while you try to get three “happy faces” vertically, horizontally, or diagonally.

Match Game
Children will learn signs as well as the fingerspelling alphabet while playing. When a child selects Match Game from the Activities menu, a new screen is displayed showing 12 small squares. Behind each square is a picture of a fingerspelled letter of the alphabet. There are 6 pairs of matching pictures hidden on the game board.  The first challenge is to find matching pictures of the fingerspelling alphabet. To do this, you click on two of the game board squares. If the two picture don’t match, the sad face is highlighted and the pictures are covered up. If the two pictures match, the happy face is highlighted, a bell rings, the two pictures are moved to the box above the game board.   Matching all 6 pairs uncovers a fingerspelled word on the game board, displays three pictures in the boxes below the game board and the first frame of a movie is displayed. If you click on the little-girl button in the center of the game board, the word will be fingerspelled. You can also click on the Play button to view the movie of the sign. In order to win the game, you must identify the fingerspelled word by clicking on the picture that correctly represents it.

WINDOWS REQUIREMENTS:

• Windows 95, 98, Me, XP
• 486 processor minimum
• 16MB of RAM
• QuickTime 2.1.2 (on disc)
• Windows compatible sound card
• VGA monitor running 256 colors (thousands of colors recommended)
• 2X CD-ROM Drive