The History and the Structure of Black American Sign Language (ASL): Materials for Building Community Awareness

奖项编号：0936085标题：星星：美国黑人手语（ASL）的历史和结构：建立社区意识的材料开始/结束日期：2009年12月-2011年12月项目官员：Monya Ruffin PI：Ceil Lucas机构：Gallaudet University项目：非正式科学教育（伊势）的目的，背景和合作关系位于他们的NSF资助的社会语言学研究，合作机构的框架内，Gallaudet大学和加州大学戴维斯分校将开发和广泛传播一个2小时的DVD，建立知识和促进社区意识，在非正式和正式观众中，关于美国手语（ASL）的科学结构和历史，重点是美国黑人手语。通过向公众传播研究（CRPA）拨款，DVD及其现有的配套指南将：（a）将美国手语与当前的实证研究联系起来;（B）描述语言发展科学的复杂性（书面和口头）;（c）详细介绍美国黑人手语的演变;（d）提供强有力的证据，证明社会语言学的变化和方言不是口头语言所独有的;以及（e）促进在正式和非正式场合进行相关讨论。参与者和设置该项目将涉及ASL口译员和听力，听力受损和失聪的当地社区成员，学生和教师;年龄（青少年到老年人），美国境内的地理位置以及社会经济和种族背景。当地社区、资源和文化中心等非正式环境将参与项目传播工作和活动。正式的设置，如中学后语言学课程，聋人研究课程，口译培训课程，和专业讲习班也将作为二级场所的项目传播活动。项目设计和可移植性的研究设计，录像数据剪辑和结果，从开创性的社会语言学研究涉及的数据，从22个研究小组在六个不同的地点将被封装和访问的主要交付成果，2小时DVD DVD将介绍研究的社会历史意义、数据收集和使用的方法，以及参与者叙述其生活经历的数据剪辑。语音变量，句法语篇变量，接触现象和词汇变化也将在DVD中讨论和说明。将招募目标公众和专业观众，以获得DVD、配套指南和其他项目资源。项目交付物包括一个2小时的DVD，培训材料，研讨会和网站的改进。项目成果、影响和评估通过积极的传播工作，该项目打算覆盖约29，000人。 该项目应：（a）增加对美国手语的科学结构和历史的了解和认识，（B）通过更广泛地了解影响非口语语言变化的地理和社会因素，特别是黑人美国手语，提供更多的内容，包括STEM内容。将采用混合方法评估研究来监测DVD和培训材料开发、改进和实施的各个方面。将设立重点小组并分发调查表，以收集数据和确定该项目在多大程度上有效实现了其主要目标，即更广泛地向公众、特别是非正式受众和组织分享和传播其研究成果。更广泛的意义和重要性该项目将解决在该领域的科学结构，历史和社会文化因素的影响变化，在非口语语言，特别是在黑色美国手语的研究需求。这项研究的广泛传播可以提高公众对美国手语变化的认识，从而为口译员和相当大一部分聋人和听力社区提供关于美国手语的宝贵见解，可以改善聋人和听力受损个人的内容可访问性。该项目还突出了美国历史中一个重要的、被忽视的组成部分。此外，该项目将进一步推动伊势计划在内容（语言科学;语言学）和目标人群（聋人，非洲裔美国人）方面实现投资组合多样化的努力。最初的NSF资助的科学研究项目和拟议的传播工作，也支持伊势的承诺，以资助项目，旨在沟通NSF资助的研究，以非正式的观众和非正式的设置。的网站，当地社区活动，并与伊势组织的联系，如非裔美国人研究资源中心在霍华德大学在华盛顿，DC部门;斯泰尔斯非裔美国人遗产中心在丹佛;和Schomburg中心研究黑人文化在哈莱姆，纽约和专业组织，如Gallaudet大学出版社和全国协会的黑人聋人倡导者（NBDA）;将提供多种机会，让公众参与研究和跨学科，在非正式和正式教育的背景下，对这项工作的文化讨论。

Award Number: 0936085Title: STARS: The History and the Structure of Black American Sign Language (ASL): Materials for Building Community AwarenessStart/End Dates: December 2009-December 2011Program Officer: Monya RuffinPI: Ceil LucasInstitution: Gallaudet UniversityProgram: Informal Science Education (ISE)Purpose, Context, and Partnering OrganizationsSituated within the framework of their NSF funded sociolinguistic research, partnering institutions, Gallaudet University and the University of California-Davis, will develop and broadly disseminate a 2-hour DVD that builds knowledge and fosters community awareness, among informal and formal audiences, about the scientific structure and history of American Sign Language (ASL), with an emphasis on Black American Sign Language. Through this Communicating Research to Public Audiences (CRPA) grant, the DVD and its existing companion guidebook will: (a) link ASL to current empirical research; (b) describe the complexities of the science of language development (written and spoken); (c) detail the evolution of Black American Sign Language; (d) provide strong evidence that sociolinguistic variations and dialects are not unique to spoken languages; and (e) foster related discussions in formal and informal settings. Participants and SettingsThe project will involve ASL interpreters and hearing, hearing impaired and deaf local community members, students, and teachers; ranging in age (adolescents to seniors), geographic location within the United States, and socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds. Informal settings such as local community, resource and cultural centers will participate in project dissemination efforts and activities. Formal settings such as postsecondary linguistics courses, deaf studies courses, interpreter training courses, and professional workshops will also serve as secondary venues for project dissemination activities.Project Design and DeliverablesThe research design, videotaped data clips and findings from the seminal sociolinguistic research involving data from 22 study groups at six different sites will be encapsulated and made accessible via the primary deliverable, a 2 hour DVD. Designed for various audiences, the DVD will present the socio-historical significance of the research, data collection and methods employed, and data clips of participants narrating their life experiences. Phonological variables, syntactic & discourse variables, contact phenomena, and lexical variations will also be discussed and illustrated in the DVD. Targeted public and professional audiences will be recruited to receive the DVD, the companion guide book, and other project resources. Project deliverables include a 2 hour DVD, training materials, workshops, and web site enhancements. Project Outcomes, Impacts, and EvaluationThrough active dissemination efforts, the project intends to reach approximately 29,000 people. The project should: (a) increase knowledge and awareness about the scientific structure and history of ASL, and (b) provide greater access to content- including STEM content-through a broader understanding of geographical and social factors that influence non-spoken language variations, particularly Black ASL.A mixed methods evaluation study will be employed to monitor all aspects of the DVD and training materials development, refinement, and implementation. Focus groups will be conducted and questionnaires will be distributed to collect data and determine the extent to which the project has effectively met its primary goal to share and disseminate its research findings more broadly to public audiences, with a special emphasis on informal audiences and organizations. Broader Significance and ImportanceThe project will address a need in the field for research about the scientific structure, history, and socio-cultural factors influencing variations in non-spoken languages, particularly in Black ASL. Broad dissemination of this research could raise public awareness about ASL variations thereby, providing interpreters and a sizable portion of the deaf and hearing communities with valuable insights on ASL that could improve content accessibility among deaf and hearing impaired individuals. The project also highlights an important, overlooked component of American history. In addition, this project would further the ISE program's efforts to diversify its portfolio with respect to content (science of language; linguistics) and target populations (deaf, African-American). The original NSF funded scientific research project and the proposed dissemination efforts, also support ISE's commitment to fund projects with an aim to communicate NSF funded research to informal audiences and within informal settings.With an anticipated reach of 29,000 people, the project?s website, local community events, and linkages with ISE organizations such as The Department of African American Studies Afro-American Studies Resource Center at Howard University in Washington, DC; The Stiles African American Heritage Center in Denver; and The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem, NY and professional organizations such as the Gallaudet University Press and the National Association of Black Deaf Advocates (NBDA); will provide multiple opportunities for public engagement in the research and cross-disciplinary, cultural discussions about this work within the context of informal and formal education.