You know, everybody needs to learn sign language. It'll be a lot harder to deepfake that. 😋
@freemo It should be a required course in schools IMO. Just like a foreign language.
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@trinsec While I do think it should be offered as a language option when picking, I dont think it should be required beyond "pick any language, and sign language can be one of them"... Sadly im not sure its useful enough to obligate kids to learn it if they dont want to actually go into a field they need it.
@freemo I think it should be heavily encouraged in elementary schools, then they can pick it up in highschool if they want to continue. But at least they'd learn how to do basic signs and how to deal with deaf people besides the 'ick, eh, bye!' bullshit.
@trinsec I think basic signs, rather than full competency makes more sense.. They should really do the same for all languages. Teach kids like 30 words from a dozen languages in elementary school, including sign, that would be cool.
@trinsec Especially given the deeply weird fingers all the AIs seem to think we have. [shudder]
@trinsec yes agree, I started learning it about a year ago, and defenitly a lot of fun and a great addition to my social skills
@trinsec
At Boston University (the one without a football team, that’s Boston College) about 20 years ago students petitioned for and won the acceptance of ASL as satisfying the foreign language requirement for an undergrad degree.
@trinsec
50 odd years ago my brother worked as a care aid at a state home for adults with severe cognitive/emotional deficits. Somebody on the clinical staff had an idea to teach the non-verbal residents some ASL to help them to make known their wants and needs. It turned out not to work very well, but the staff at my brother’s level used it to chat with each other at staff meetings, because the clinical/medical staff didn’t bother to learn any of it.
@qurlyjoe
Yeah, I can see it not working very well with adults if they still have to learn it _and_ they have cognitive/emotional deficits. 😬
I mean, try teaching them French (if you're not in a French speaking country, otherwise try something else, like German)... won't go as easily either!
Otoh, if the whole staff isn't into it, it isn't really helping matters much either. 👀
@trinsec
That’s pretty much how it played out. Well-intentioned, but nobody really bought into it. This was before Reagan came along and kicked pretty much everybody to the street.
This is Mur 
@trinsec
How long does it take to learn sign language?
@mur2501 Depends on how much you immerse in it, the lessons you get, etc. Just like any other language, really. Though some have difficulty with spatial languages (3D thinking) so I guess... it depends?
@trinsec I would love to, but aside from a brief moment as a child I have literally never had the chance to use it even once, which is a huge deterrant.