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American Sign Language



Place to Begin: Reference Resource

Credo Reference

  • search about 300 reference titles and content at once
  • use Advanced Search for options when searching
  • limit to longer articles to eliminate dictionary entries

Introductory information on American Sign Language as a language, see

International Encyclopedia of Communication
Ref P 87.5 .I5 1989
International Encyclopedia of Linguistics
Ref P 29 .I58 2003

Call Numbers to Browse

deaf

 HV 2349 - HV 2999
deafness RF 290 - RF 310

Subject Headings

These are possibilities for subject headings to use both in the library catalog (books and DVDs) and in databases (articles). Try various combinations.

american sign language deaf community deaf "and" education
ASL deaf culture deaf "and" employment
deaf deaf population deafness "and" social aspects
deafness deafness culture deaf "and" social environment
  nonverbal communication deaf "and" social psychology
  nonverbal languages american sign language "and" communication
  sign language american sign language "and" children

 

Suggested Databases

Books, Videos, and DVDs
(books are good sources for in-depth information and historical background)

Good Library Catalog

  • Use Advanced Search
  • Search "Subject Keywords"
  • Use terms as suggested above in Subject Headings

World Catalog (WorldCat) - locates books in libraries through the U.S.

Articles
(periodicals are good sources to find recent information on a topic - nearly all subject areas cover some aspect of ASL or deaf culture)

EBSCO -

Project Muse
(indexes Sign Language Journal)

News Sources
(newspapers are good sources to find current information or day-to-day coverage of a particular issue)

  • CQ Researcher (reports on issues in the news, including pro/con essays from experts in the field)
  • Lexis-Nexis (continually updated news, wire services, program transcripts)
  • Historical New York Times (from 1851 - and ending 3 years ago -- current articles in Academic Search Premier)
  • NewsBank (local, regional, and national U.S. newspapers and magazines)

Gallaudet University Library Guide to Deaf Biographies

  • browse "names," "occupations," "nationalities/ethnicity," or search by "keyword"

Gallaudet University Library Index to Deaf Periodicals

  • an index to articles in selected deaf-related journals
  • use ILL (Interlibrary Loan) to borrow articles you find in this database

Interlibrary Loan

  • Start early - the library may not have all the material you need.
  • Use the ILL icons in the various databases or use the ILL forms.

Web Resources

American Sign Language Resources (Goshen College)

American Sign Language Browser (Michigan State University)

ASLTA (American Sign Language Teachers Association)

AVLIC (Association of Visual Language Interpreters of Canada)

Gallaudet University Library has many resources, including research guides on specific deaf topics

ICRID (Indiana Chapter of Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf)

NAD (National Association of the Deaf)

RID (Registry for Interpreters for the Deaf

What's Up Newsletter (Fort Wayne area)

 

For further assistance, ask a librarian at the Reference Desk or through Live Chat.


Updated 10-Feb-2009 SJM