What is the mission statement of the Society for
American Sign Language?
The Society for American Sign Language (SASL) is a professional association with the
credentials dedicated to basic and applied research about American Sign Language. SASL's
goal is to validate and expand linguistic accessibility. Linguistic principles are emphasized
for understanding the signed language along with its aesthetics and role in literacy
development and learning. SASL's scope and forum include theory, policy, and practice
considerations, as well as addressing how an alternative language modality fulfills the
needs and well being of all citizens in society.
Where can I find more information about
linguistic accessibility?
You can find the conceptualization of linguistic accessibility in an article by Samuel
Supalla and Jody Cripps. The complete citation is as follows:
Supalla, S. J., & Cripps, J. H. (2008). Linguistic accessibility and deaf children. In B.
Spolsky & F. M. Hult (Eds.), The handbook of educational linguistics (pp. 174-191).
Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell.
How does SASL compare to the American Sign
Language Teachers Association (ASLTA)?
The American Sign Language Teachers Association (ASLTA) is tailored to practitioners
who teach the signed language in schools and colleges and universities across the country.
ASL certification plays an important role for this organization, which is clearly valuable.
While ASLTA focuses on teaching, the scope of SASL is broader and focuses on ASL as a
human language as supported through research and scholarship. Some of the differences
between ASLTA and SASL can be seen through the content of this newsletter. SASL's
coverage on deaf education issues and the prevalence of signed music along with a
commentary on the theoretical issues of ASL suggests a distinctive scope of the new
organization.
The Power of ASL
8
Spring 2016 – Issue 1