PURPOSE: The purpose of the current study was to create a set of video-recorded real-sign-pseudosign pairs for Swedish Sign Language (Svenskt teckenspråk, STS). The pseudosigns should be based on the overall phonotactic structures of STS; each real-sign-pseudosign pair should be matched in terms of neighborhood density (ND) and phonotactic probability (PP); the real signs and pseudosigns should have similar distributions of ND, PP, and duration; and the set as a whole should have distributions of ND, PP, and (for the real signs) sign frequency (SF) similar to that of the STS. To achieve this, a secondary purpose was to develop algorithms to calculate ND and PP for STS and to investigate how the metrics correlate. METHOD: Based on publicly available data sources for STS, an initial data set was formed, which was utilized in an automatic algorithm to generate phonotactically feasible pseudosign candidates, as well as to calculate ND and PP values for both the real signs and the generated pseudosign candidates. The use of an automatic matching algorithm was followed by manual evaluation of the selected pseudosign candidates. The selected matching pairs of signs and pseudosigns were video recorded by four actors (two males and two females). RESULTS: Four hundred sixty-six sign-pseudosign pairs, matching in ND and PP, were video-recorded. The real signs and pseudosigns had similar distributions of ND, PP, and duration, and the distributions of ND, PP, and SF values in the recorded set were similar to those of the STS as a whole. CONCLUSIONS: The resulting data set has been made publicly available and is suitable for use in psycholinguistic experiments involving STS. The present work presents a new standard for estimation of lexical metrics in sign language that can be applied to other sign languages than STS in future studies. 

The role of fingerspelling or manual alphabet for reading among deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals has been of great interest in research. What can decades of research on fingerspelling and reading among deaf individuals tell us about how fingerspelling aids deaf children’s reading development? This scoping review was, therefore, undertaken to explore: (a) What is the relationship between fingerspelling and reading?, (b) In what ways do fingerspelling abilities promote reading skills?, and (c) What is known about using fingerspelling to teach reading? We identified 26 studies that were screened and summarized according to publication characteristics. The content and methods of these studies were briefly described. The results revealed a larger proportion of quantitative methods and ASL/English settings. A discussion and implications for future research are provided.

In the study of communication, meaning-making may be explained as a process consisting of collaborative and distributed actions between participants in interaction. This view is of special importance in communication with individuals living with deafblindness. Staff working in group housing for people with congenital deafblindness can be considered as communication partners. Using a qualitative and explorative design, 18 communication partners have been individually interviewed concerning their perceptions of strategies to facilitate social interaction with adults with congenital deafblindness. The interviews were transcribed and analysed using content analysis. The analyses generated three categories of perceived strategies 1) having essential competence and qualities, 2) getting to know and understand each other, 3) use of facilitating techniques. The results indicate that staff continuity in homes for people with deafblindness is key for the well-being of the people cared for. Combinations of perceived experiences from interviews, and forthcoming video-ethnographic observations, may form the basis of training programs.

Introduction: People with congenital deafblindness (CDB) face challenges orienting themselves in time and activities. The aim of the current study is to identify and analyze how an adult with CDB and his support persons co-construct comprehensibility and predictability in his daily life. Method: The study consists of video recordings of everyday dyadic interaction from a residential home. Conversation Analysis was used to explore interactional practices that afford orientation in time and activities. Results: Results highlight several important practices: 1) repetitions of signs or other recognizable linguistic elements in a second turn to identify and confirm a reciprocally understood subject; 2) repetition of a sign placed first in the second part of a question-answer adjacency pair; 3) and the use of a visually based schedule to achieve mutual understanding. Conclusion: The practices identified and analyzed accomplish security, predictability, and comprehensibility for the person with CDB and his support persons.