Are you studying or working in a technical field like mathematics, science, engineering, or computers? An interpreter who needs to interpret for a student in a technical class? Resources are available for learning or looking up technical signs:
- The Captioned Media Program has several videos of technical signs, covering topics such as anthropology, biology, economics, engineering, fine/applied arts, mathematics, photography, physics, printing, science, and more.
- The Random House Webster's American Sign Language Computer Dictionary by Elaine Costello is a dictionary of computer-related signs. (compare prices) According to this dictionary, the word HTML is fingerspelled.
The National Technical Institute for the Deaf's Clearinghouse on Mathematics, Engineering, Technology and Science (COMETS) has Sign Language Materials for Technical Communication, a collection of videot material and books. These materials were the result of almost 20 years of study by the Technical Signs Projectof technical signs in use. The NTID materials cover signs in a large number of technical categories, including computer terminology, engineering, mathematics, and science.
Harris Communications sells a collection of the NTID-produced Technical Signs Project materials. Butte Publications sells three of the NTID-produced technical sign language manuals includingthe one on science and mathematics. The books are sold as an interpreting resource.
The Federal government has also been involved; in 2000, the Shodor Education Foundation received a grant from the National Science Foundation to develop technical sign language materials for the study of computational science. Shodor has a website showcasing this project- Succeed-HI. The Succeed-HI website has video clips, andresources for students and teachers.
