How can we measure how clear a person's use of a signed language is

What is it about?

There are currently no tools available to measure how well a signed language user can be understood by the people he/she signs to. This study is a first look at intelligibility in American Sign Language (ASL). It evaluates potential measures for self-report and expert ratings of sign intelligibility.

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Photo by Jo Hilton on Unsplash

Photo by Jo Hilton on Unsplash

Why is it important?

A sign intelligibility instrument would be useful for children acquiring a signed language, adults acquiring a signed language as an additional language, and for children whose communication is supported by sign. For example, people with poor speech intelligibility who use signs to support the intelligibility of their speech, such as children and adults with Down Syndrome, cerebral palsy, and developmental delays.