From WikiConference North America

Title Writing the American Sign Language Wikipedia on Incubator

Theme Education

Academic Peer Review option no

Type of submission Presentation Authors Adam Frost, Jason Nesmith, and Holly Sharer

E-mail address slevinski@signwriting.org

Username slevinski

Affiliation Center for Sutton Movement Writing: Deaf Action Committee for SignWriting (DAC)

Abstract Presented in American Sign Language and English by 3 native-ASL Deaf Wiki-contributors: Adam Frost (ASL Editor and article writer), Jason Nesmith (ASL article writer), and Holly Sharer (ASL article writer). This is an historic presentation, since it is the first time in history that American Sign Language, or any sign language, can be written in a Wikipedia, written in the handshapes, movements, and facial expressions of sign languages, using the SignWriting Script. ADAM FROST, Deaf ASL Teacher and Linguist, will tell the story of how he founded the American Sign Language Wikipedia, using the specialized software developed by Stephen E Slevinski Jr, and will explain that the first attempt at an ASL Wikipedia was made possible by a donation of server space on Wikimedia Labs and later on Wikimedia Incubator. As the first Deaf ASL Editor, Adam translated the Wikipedia menus from English to ASL using "Translate Wiki". Adam contributed the first ASL article in the ASL Wikipedia: "Charles-Michel de l'Épée" and he continues to edit articles and gives teaching and tech support to new ASL writers. JASON NESMITH, Deaf 3D Artist, Animator and Graphics Designer, is contributing 4 articles to the ASL Wikipedia: "Elon Musk", "Star Wars", "3-D Printers" and "Walt Disney". Jason's articles are fascinating and timely. Jason will explain how he learned SignWriting and why he is excited to write Wikipedia articles for the Deaf Community and also is working on animating some of the SignWriting in the Wikipedia articles for educational purposes. HOLLY SHARER, Deaf Psychologist and Artist, has started three or four ASL articles in the ASL Wikipedia, including "Salvador Dali", "Picasso", "Thailand" and a new article is coming: "Cambodia". Holly has lived and worked with Deaf people in Thailand and Cambodia, which will make her contributions to the ASL Wikipedia even more meaningful. This is a lively presentation in ASL with English interpreters, making it possible for the audience to ask questions of the presenters. The inventor of the SignWriting Script, Valerie Sutton, and the developer of the software used to write Wikipedia articles in SignWriting, Stephen E Slevinski Jr, will be present to take questions as well.

Length of presentation 30 minutes

Preferred room size 25

Will you attend WikiConference North America if your submission is not accepted? Yes

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