Customization and modifications of SignWriting by LIS users

Historically, the various sign languages (SL) have not developed an own writing system; nevertheless, some systems exist, among which the SignWriting (SW) is a powerful and flexible one. In this paper, we present the mechanisms adopted by signers of the Italian Sign Language (LIS), expert users of SW, to modify the standard SW glyphs and increase their writing skills and/or represent peculiar linguistic phenomena. We identify these glyphs and show which characteristics make them "acceptable" by the expert community. Eventually, we analyze the potentialities of these glyphs in hand writing and in computer-assisted writing, focusing on SWift, a software designed to allow the electronic writing-down of user-modified glyphs.

SWift -- A SignWriting improved fast transcriber

We present SWift (SignWriting improved fast transcriber), an advanced editor for computer-aided writing and transcribing using SignWriting (SW). SW is devised to allow deaf people and linguists alike to exploit an easy-to-grasp written form of (any) sign language. Similarly, SWift has been developed for everyone who masters SW, and is not exclusively deaf-oriented. Using SWift, it is possible to compose and save any sign, using elementary components called glyphs. A guided procedure facilitates the composition process. SWift is aimed at helping to break down the "electronic" barriers that keep the deaf community away from Information and Communication Technology (ICT). The editor has been developed modularly and can be integrated everywhere the use of SW, as an alternative to written vocal language, may be advisable.

SWift -- A SignWriting editor to bridge between deaf world and e-learning

SWift (SignWriting improved fast transcriber) is an advanced editor for SignWriting (SW). At present, SW is a promising alternative to provide documents in an easy-to-grasp written form of (any) Sign Language, the gestural way of communication which is widely adopted by the deaf community. SWift was developed SW users, either deaf or not, to support collaboration and exchange of ideas. The application allows composing and saving desired signs using elementary components, called glyphs. The procedure that was devised guides and simplifies the editing process. SWift aims at breaking the "electronic" barriers that keep the deaf community away from ICT in general, and from e-learning in particular. The editor can be contained in a pluggable module; therefore, it can be integrated everywhere the use of SW is an advisable alternative to written "verbal" language, which often hinders information grasping by deaf users.

Resource production of written forms of Sign Languages by a user-centered editor, SWift (SignWriting improved fast transcriber)

The SignWriting improved fast transcriber (SWift), presented in this paper, is an advanced editor for computer-aided writing and transcribing of any Sign Language (SL) using SignWriting (SW). The application is an editor which allows composing and saving desired signs using the SW elementary components, called "glyphs". These make up a sort of alphabet, which does not depend on the national Sign Language and which codes the basic components of any sign. The user is guided through a fully-automated procedure, making the composition process fast and intuitive. SWift pursues the goal of helping to break down the "electronic barriers" that keep deaf people away from the web, and at the same time to support linguistic research about Sign Languages features. For this reason it has been designed with a special attention to deaf user needs, and to general usability issues. The editor has been developed in a modular way, so it can be integrated everywhere the use of SW as an alternative to written "verbal" language may be advisable.