SignWriting List August 9, 2012 Thank you for this message, Charles. Of course we all agree with you from a user's point of view. From a programming perspective, the fact that SignWriting was used to program the Avatar to move like that, is a good thing… ... In the past people told us that HamNoSys was better at programming Avatars to move, but Professor Jemni's project, I believe uses a form of SWML that they may have tweaked a bit, but nonetheless, if SignWriting played a role in the programming of the Avatar then that is a valuable thing too… I agree that the user interface could be using the written script for sign languages, SignWriting, to the benefit of the users as well - but those are two different roles to play - Val ;-) ----- On Aug 7, 2012, at 4:58 AM, Charles Butler wrote: > I tried to comment on the TED forum but it wouldn't take my password. So, I'll reply here. I strongly feel you should use SignWriting in your search database. We were working with avatars years ago in Brazil, and the only difficulty I have is that they will not teach actual reading and writing to a Deaf audience. SignWriting will. With an avatar one still has a spoken word or written word database going to a signed language, not a writing system within the actual signed language. This does not build literacy, it builds dependence on essentially an "artificial" videotape. One can build a one-to-one vocabulary list or phrase-to-phrase, but the ongoing narrative of teaching a non-hearing population to be literate in their own language is here getting them to create a videotape assignment, never teaching actual writing and grammar in comparison to other writing and grammar. > > Charles Butler > [log in to unmask] > 240-764-5748 > Clear writing moves business forward. > From: Mohamed JEMNI <[log in to unmask]> > To: [log in to unmask] > Sent: Tuesday, August 7, 2012 4:50 AM > Subject: My TED 2012 presentation > > Dear friends and colleagues, > > I would very much appreciate if you could take 10 minutes of your time to view this TED video talk and post a comment about it in the "feedback box". > Few words will be enough. (you need to create a log in). > The team needs some support to take it to the next stage; so please share it with your friends and colleagues: > > http://talentsearch.ted.com/video/Mohamed-Jemni-An-avatar-capable;TEDTunis > > Thank you, > Mohamed JEMNI > -- > Prof. Mohamed JEMNI > Head of Research Laboratory LaTICE > www.latice.rnu.tn > General Director of Computing Center Al Khawarizmi > www.cck.rnu.tn > Personal page: http://www.utic.rnu.tn/english/memb_jemni.htm > e-mail: [log in to unmask] > Tel: +216 71 602 840 Fax: +216 71 601 930 > > > >