BU Event - Gesture-Based Search Tools for ASL

Event Details

Event Title:	The Road to Sloogle: Gesture-Based Search Tools for American Sign Language
Date:	May 14, 2009
Time:	7:00PM
Location:	College of Arts & Sciences, Room B12 685 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston
Description:	Join Stan Sclaroff, professor and chair of computer science, and Carol Neidle, professor of French and linguistics and head of the linguistics program, for a presentation of their cutting-edge research to develop technology to allow users to search ASL materials by simply gesturing to a web camera on their computer. Discover human language as manifested in the visual-gestural dimension. Learn about the research project and its challenges. Explore possible solutions and their potential to open up access to the full range of ASL media. Program will be followed by a light reception. Sign language interpreters will be available. Discoveries, a lecture and learning series that taps the strength of the BU faculty to give alumni a deeper look into issues affecting the world and their lives, is brought to you by Arts & Sciences at Boston University and Arts & Sciences Alumni Relations. https://secure-alumni.bu.edu/olc/pub/BUAR/events/event_order.cgi?tmpl=events&event=2226233

Update...

So, the training didn't happen in January obviously. Hopefully I'll be able to conduct a class at some point in the future! Please contact me if you are interested.

But, I did want to write about how M is interested in signing again. She was an avid signer until about 17 months and then lost interest as she began to speak more and more. But, around 2 years, she became interested again!

Here is what I wrote back in February:

When M started speaking, she really started speaking, and signing quickly died away.

This was around when she was 17 months or so.

She has quite the spoken vocabulary now but part of me wished I had kept up the signing with her. And then...

She is a big Sesame Street fan (who isn't?) and one of her favorite episodes has a short segment with Linda (oh, how I loved Linda growing up!). Linda is signing friend to a little girl.

And M picked it right up. We had never taught her friend (at last count these were the ones she could sign: eat, milk, more, cookie, cheese, all done, book, please).

She just started signing friend while she was on the changing table yesterday (and saying it).

So, we popped in the Signing Time VHS I had upstairs and she loved it! (she wanted mommy to sign it first and then she would sign it - good practice for me!)

So, I think we are going to start doing more Signing Time and equiv. videos now. I would love if she would start to sign more again...

We have two Signing Time videos and she asks to watch them all the time. I wish that show would come back on the air (see Rachel's post about it here)!

So, if you have a signing baby that seems disinterested when they learn to talk, don't give up - they may want to sign again when they become active toddlers. It is always a fun way to learn and talk with your toddler and beyond!