History of SignWriting


Chapter 5
SignWriting Publications
Published in the USA
1981 - 1989

Spring, 1981
SignWriting For EveryDay Use
This was the main reference textbook for serious students of SignWriting during the 1980's. Author: Valerie Sutton. Illustrations by Jayne Gunderson, Amy Blake and Ken Merchant. 450 pages. Spiral bind. Out-of-date. No longer in print. This book was replaced by a new textbook, called Lessons In SignWriting.




Spring, 1981
First SignWriting Literature Series
This literature was "experimental" since there had never been a way to read and write American Sign Language before. Over the years, writers became more skilled at recording ASL properly. There is now a Second Literature Serieswritten in ASL.

This first Literature Series, back in 1981, was written in Signed English or PSE. It included 7 booklets:

1. How's That Again? by Paul Menkis

Sign Language Poem Written In SignWriting

2. Pledge of Allegiance
Written In SignWriting by Margaret Oliver

3. A Poem For Deaf People by Tina Samper
Sign Language Poem Written In SignWriting

4. Ecclesiastis
Passage from the Bible Written In SignWriting

5. Silent Night
Sign Language Song Written In SignWriting

6. Goldilocks & the Three Bears, Second Edition
Written in SignWriting by Nancy Ellen Woo (now Nancy Romero).
Other versions: First Edition by Betty Beekman at National Theater of the Deaf.
The new Third Edition by Darline Clark, written in ASL in 1997, is now available.

7. Cinderella, First Edition
Written In SignWriting by Nancy Ellen Woo (now Nancy Romero). This was published in the "SignWriting For Everyday Use" textbook, as well as in a separate booklet. Illustrations by Jayne Gunderson. No longer in print.

A Second Edition of Cinderella, written by Darline Clark in ASL in 1997, will be available soon.


Summer, 1981
What Is SignWriting?
Four-page visual description of SignWriting's uses. Cartoons by Frank Allen Paul


Fall, 1981
"SignWriting Tote Bags
Strong canvas, blue ink on white. Two sizes. Design is out-of-date. No longer available.


Fall, 1981 First Issue
SignWriter Newspaper
First newspaper written in Sign Language by Nancy Ellen Woo, sent to 41 countries.




1982 First Edition - 1993 Fourth Edition
NTID Technical Signs Manual Two: Reading Technical Sign Diagrams
by Valerie Sutton and the NTID team under the direction of Dr. Frank Caccamise. Manual Two teaches the SignWriting symbols used in the Technical Signs manuals.



1982 First Edition
NTID Technical Signs Manual Three: Mathematics
by the NTID team under the direction of Dr. Frank Caccamise. Manual Three teaches signs used in Mathematics. SignWriting symbols are used in the illustrations.



1982 First Edition
NTID Technical Signs Manual Four: Communications
by the NTID team under the direction of Dr. Frank Caccamise. Manual Four teaches signs used in Communications. SignWriting symbols are used in the illustrations.

1982
SignWriting For Research Use
Tesxtbook by Valerie Sutton teaching the way SignWriting first developed at the University of Copenhagen in the 1970's. The writing is "very detailed", geared to researchers. Actually, SignWriting has improved so much since then, that today's writing is just as detailed without all of the complication.




1982
SignWriting Shorthand For Sign Language Stenography
Textbook by Valerie Sutton teaching Shorthand. At that time, a new profession called "Sign Language Stenography" was "under development". Experiments were made with recording signs at speed in classrooms. Stenographers learned how to write without looking at their hands. This book taught that system. Since then, the Shorthand has been adapted for use as a daily handwriting for everyone.




1982
SignWriting Basic Teacher's Certification Manual
This was a training manual for educators to become qualified SignWriting Instructors.
From 1981-1984, teachers received certificates after completing training. There were 31 instructors who received certification in the 1980's. The Teacher Certification Program ceased in 1984.



1983 First Edition
NTID Technical Signs Manual Five: Career Education
by Brenda Liebman Aron and the NTID team under the direction of Dr. Frank Caccamise. Manual Five teaches signs used in Career Education. SignWriting symbols are used in the illustrations.


1983
Sutton's Sign-Symbol-Sequence
This was the first publication describing and teaching Sutton's system for looking up signs by SignWriting symbols in Sign Language dictionaries.





1983
SignWriting Card File Dictionary
ASL Dictionary on 3" by 5" cards. New cards were sent to members monthly. This forced students to learn how to put the signs in Sign-Symbol-Sequence.

1983-1984
SignWriting Bilingual Dictionary Project
The Danish Sign Language-American Sign Language, American Sign Language-Danish Sign Language Dictionary

written in SignWriting. If this dictionary had been completed, it would truly have been historic. There was no spoken language in the dictionary. Everything was written in two languages, Danish Sign Language and American Sign Language, including the foreword and introduction.

The work was compiled by Karen Albertsen, Annegrethe Pedersen and others at the Deaf Center For Total Communication in Copenhagen, Denmark, collaborating with Valerie Sutton and her team in the USA. The work was halted when it became apparent that a typing program for SignWriting was greatly needed. Writing the whole dictionary by hand with ink pens and transfer sheets became too much work.

The SignWriter Computer Program could easily type the dictionary now, and someday, with funding, the DAC hopes to start the bilingual dictionary project again.




April, 1984
"SignWriting Updates"
Document reporting Deaf Americans skilled SignWriting request to write from the "Expressive Viewpoint".

Spring-Summer, 1984, Final Issue
SignWriter Newspaper
Featured an article by Bernard Bragg.




1985
NTID Technical Signs Manual Six: English
by the NTID team under the direction of Dr. Frank Caccamise. Manual Six teaches signs used in teaching English. SignWriting symbols are used in the illustrations.



1985
NTID Technical Signs Manual Seven: Religion
by the NTID team under the direction of Dr. Frank Caccamise. Manual Seven teaches signs used in Religion. SignWriting symbols are used in the illustrations.



August, 1985
Learn Signing With SignWriting Video & Booklet
Bernard Bragg and Valerie Sutton teach SignWriting to hearing people who want to learn basic signs. Also included Patty Duke, William Schallert, Meredith McRae and Stephanie Edwards.




Spring 1986
Four Ways Of Writing SignWriting
by Valerie Sutton. Detailed SignWriting, SignWriting Printing, Handwriting, & Shorthand.



1987
NTID Technical Signs Manual Eight: Theater
by Keith Cagle and the NTID team under the direction of Dr. Frank Caccamise. Manual Eight teaches signs used in Theater. SignWriting symbols are used in the illustrations.


Fall, 1987
Computers In Sign Language Education
Paper by Richard Gleaves and Karen van Hoek, discussing the use of the SignWriter Computer Program for teaching language to Deaf people.



February, 1988
SignWriter // Computer Program
For The Apple //e and //c computers. This was an historic little program, because it was the first time in history that SignWriting could be typed. It was a true "word processor" for signs, including automatic word wrap, Find and Replace, and other features. Considering the small amount of memory used in those days, it typed signs surprisingly well. This can be attributed to the excellent and clean design by programmer Richard Gleaves. The keyboard design and packaging design was by Valerie Sutton. Richard Gleaves wrote the Reference Manual that came with the program, which was packaged in a royal blue folder with disks and keyboard cards. This was the forerunner to the SignWriter Computer Program used today.



May, 1988
SignBank I Desk Accessory for the Macintosh for "Word-Sign" Dictionaries
programmed by Michael Ogawa, this Desk Accessory, which is a small "mini" program on the Macintosh, inlcuded a wonderful storage system for signs in a dictionary, plus specially designed SignWriting Fonts, designed by Valerie Sutton. SignBank I created "word-sign" dictionaries. However, it was not a true typing program like the SignWriter Computer Program. In SignBank, the fonts did not rotate or flop the symbols. To use the fonts, you had to type a symbol in a Paint Program and then change it manually, dot by dot, and then copy the whole sign and paste it into the SignBank dictionary. Once it was pasted in, then you could print the dictionary which looked quite nice. But SignWriter, the "sign processor" ended up being used more, because the symbols are manipulated for you. And SignWriter has the same, if not better, dictionary capabilities.



November, 1988
SignBank II Desk Accessory for the Macintosh for "Sign-Word" Dictionaries
programmed by Michael Ogawa, designed by Valerie Sutton. This was an "experiment" to see how the computer could "look-up" signs by the Sign-Symbol-Sequence, instead of looking signs up by English words. The user had to know what they were doing. Each symbol category was represented in a box. Before the sign was pasted into the dictionary, the user had to "establish" what sequence of symbols he wanted to use, when looking the sign up in the dictionary. He would click on the symbols in the boxes, to establish the "Sequence" and then paste the sign into the dictionary. SignBank II would then print the dictionary in Sign-Symbol-Sequence. This was an important program, since it help everyone think through different issues. The new version of the SignWriter Computer Program, version 5.0, which is in progress, will include a "Sign-Word" dictionary, and that new program will be based on what was learned from SignBank II.



1988
NTID Technical Signs Manual Nine: Social Work
by the NTID team under the direction of Dr. Frank Caccamise. Manual Nine teaches signs used in Social Work. SignWriting symbols are used in the illustrations.



Spring, 1989
SignWriter PC Computer Program, version 1.0
For The IBM PC & Compatibles. Designed and programmed by Richard Gleaves, with contributions on the progamming of international keyboards by Barry Demchak at Torrey Pines Software. This program was transported from the older SignWriter // for the Apple //e and //c. It was then improved on the IBM PC. More symbols, a Dictionary Manager program, laser printing, and many more new features were added. It is the forerunner to the SignWriter Computer Program, version 4.3, which is in use today.



Spring, 1989, First Issue
SignWriter Newsletter Begins
Written by members of the Deaf Action Committee. Mailed to 7000 people.


Search Google


Google
Web www.SignWriting.org
www.SignBank.org www.MovementWriting.org

 

Questions? Write to:
Sutton@SignWriting.org

 

 


Give to SignWriting
proof of non-profit status

SignWriting Symposium 2015
SignWriting
Symposium
Home
SignWriting on YouTube
SignWriting
Symposium
on YouTube
Search by Authors
Search by
Authors

Search by Categories
Search by
Categories


Search by Presentation List
Search by
List of
Presentations

View 64
Presentation
Web Pages

including
papers, slides,
bios & videos
.
See below:
2014
2014
Presentations
2014
Presentation 1

SWORD Project
Research
Italy & France
Bianchini & Borgia
2014
Presentation 2
Wöhrmann's
SpeechWriting
Education, Germany
Stefan Wöhrmann
2014
Presentation 3
SW Handwriting
Write SW by Hand
Education, USA
Adam Frost
2014
Presentation 4
SWift Digital
Editor, Software,
Italy & France
Borgia, Bianchini
& Marsico
2014
Presentation 5
Deaf Child Literacy
Research, Brazil
Marianne Stumpf
2014
Presentation 6
Deaf Literacy
with SignWriting
Education, Paraguay
Mirta Barreto
2014
Presentation 7
New Testament
in Written ASL
Literature, USA
Nancy Romero
2014
Presentation 8
Writing 48 Articles
in ASL Wikipedia
Literature, USA
Nancy Romero
2014
Presentation 9
A Decade of
Teaching ASL
using SignWriting
Education, USA
Natasha Westland
2014
Presentation 10
Ordering Signs
in Dictionaries
Education, USA
Charles Butler Neto
2014
Presentation 11
SignPuddle
Standard
Software, USA
Steve Slevinski
2014
Presentation 12
DELEGS-Editor
in Classroom
Education,
Germany
Stefan Wöhrmann
2014
Presentation 13
SignWriter Studio
Software, Honduras
Jonathan Duncan
2014
Presentation 14
Alternative
ISWA 2010 Fonts
Software, Honduras
Jonathan Duncan
2014
Presentation 15
SignWriting in Deaf
Education, Tunisia
Balti, Bahri & Laajili
2014
Presentation 16
Deaf Communication
Education, Brazil
Faulstich, Júnior
& Patrícia Santos
2014
Presentation 17
SignWriting Teachers
Education, Brazil
Barreto, Souza,
Nascimento & Coelho
2014
Presentation 18
Deaf Perspectives
Education, Brazil
Barreto, Souza,
Nascimento & Coelho

2014
Presentation 19
TrueType in Graphite
Software, USA
Steve Slevinski

2014
Presentation 20
Sign Animating
Education, Canada
André Lemyre
2014
Presentation 21
SignWriting App
Software, USA
Jake Chasan
2014
Presentation 22
Children's Books
Literature, Portugal
Rafa Cota Silva
2014
Presentation 23
TuniSigner Avatar
Software, Tunisia
Bouzid & Jemni
2014
Presentation 24
Deaf Ed in Brazil
Education, Brazil
Stumpf & Barreto
2014
Presentation 25
Reading SignWriting
Education, Brazil
Débora Wanderley
2014
Presentation 26
SW Online Course
Education, Brazil
Barreto, Pereira
& Barbosa
2014
Presentation 27
Film Online Course
Education, Brazil
Barreto & Goulart
2014
Presentation 28
Language Analysis
Research USA
Erika Hoffmann
2014
Presentation 29
SW in Deaf Schools
Education, USA
Denny Voreck
2014
Presentation 30
SignWriting App
Education, USA
Elena Eroshkin
2014
Presentation 31
Digital SW Texts
Software, USA
Steve Slevinski
2014
Presentation 32
SW & Phonology
Research, Brazil
Costa & Barreto
2014
Presentation 33
SW-OGR
Software, Italy
Borgia & Marsico
2014
Presentation 34
SignWriting in
Catholic Liturgy
Education, Slovenia
Edi Strouhal
2014
Presentation 35
Escrita de Sinais
Education, Brazil
Barreto & Barreto

2014
Presentation 36

SW Terminolgy
Research, Brazil
Lima & Barreto

2014
Presentation 37
SW Translation
Research, Brazil
Barreto & Oliveira
2014
Presentation 38
SignWriting in
Music Scores
Literature, USA
Ron Shalom
2014
Presentation 39
Writing Maltese
Sign Language
Research, Malta
Maria Galea
2014
Presentation 40
40 Years Writing
Sign Languages:
1974-2014
Research, USA
Valerie Sutton
2015
2015
Presentations
2015
Presentation 41
Javascript Keyboard
Software, Canada
Yair Rand
2015
Presentation 42
Teacher's Attitudes
SW in Education
Saudi Arabia
AbuShaira, Mahfooz
2015
Presentation 43
SignWriting Stack
Software, USA
Steve Slevinski
2015
Presentation 44
DELEGS-Editor
Education, Germany
Stefan Wöhrmann
2015
Presentation 45
SignWriting
Electronic
Flashcards
Education, Canada
André Lemyre
2015
Presentation 46
Reading SignWriting
Research, Brazil
Marcos Klüber Kogut
2015
Presentation 47
SignWriting in Classroom
Education, Portugal
Rafa Cota Silva
2015
Presentation 48
SignWriting
Journal System
Software, Brazil 
Brito, Shintaku,
Ramos & Nascimento
2015
Presentation 49
SignMaker 2015
Software, USA
Steve Slevinski
2015
Presentation 50
Nicaraguan
Sign Language
Grammar
Education,Nicaragua
James Shepard-Kegl
2015
Presentation 51
SignWriting Font
Research, Germany
Lentföhr, Nitschke
& Rutrecht
2015
Presentation 52
MemoSign Game
Software, Tunisia
Bouzid, Khenissi
2016
2016
Presentations
2016
Presentation 53
Home For
Deaf Children
Education, Peru
Kristina Tworek
2016
Presentation 54
SignTyp Database
Research, USA
Rachel Channon
2016
Presentation 55
FSW Formal
SignWriting
Software, USA
Steve Slevinski
2016
Presentation 56
SignWriting in
Tunisian Deaf
Education, Tunisia
Laajili & Balti
2016
Presentation 57
Parallel Corpora
Software, Brazil
Alex M. Becker
2016
Presentation 58
Deaf Writing Skills
Education, Portugal
Jorge Manuel Pinto
2016
Presentation 59
Bilingual Deaf
Education, Brazil
Almeida & Júnior
2016
Presentation 60
Bilingual Deaf
Education, Brazil
Daniele Bózoli
2016
Presentation 61
SignWriting
in Unicode
Software, USA
Steve Slevinski
2016
Presentation 62
SignPuddle 3.0
Software, USA
Steve Slevinski
2016
Presentation 63
Peru Sign Dict
Research, Peru
Miguel Mondoñedo
2016
Presentation 64
Sign Wikipedias
Literature, USA
Valerie Sutton
ASL Presentation by
Adam Frost, Jason
Nesmith, Holly Sharer
& the CODA Brothers
Plus special video on
Tunisian Sign Wikipedia
by Mohamed Ali Balti
SignWriting Symposium 2015
SignWriting
Symposium
Home
 
2016
SignWriting
Publications
SignWriting Basics Instruction Manual
SignWriting
Basics Instruction
Manual
Lessons in SignWriting Textbook
Lessons in
SignWriting
Textbook
ASL Hand Symbols Manual
ASL Hand
Symbols Manual
International SW Hand Symbols Manual
SignWriting
Hand Symbols
For ISWA 2010
Book on Amazon
Gospel According
To John in ASL
on Amazon.com

Book on Amazon
Goldilocks in
ASL, Workbook
& Coloring Book

Book on Amazon
Goldilocks in
ASL, Basic
Storybook
Book on Amazon
Snow White in
ASL, Workbook
& Coloring Book