Carrying the Torch for American Sign Language
Cripps
1) introduction to the manuscript,
2) relevance/significance of the manuscript to the field of signed language, and
3) social impact from the manuscript.
One scholar, Richard Meier of the University of Texas, graciously accepted my invitation
to write an afterword for this special issue. Dr. Meier was given the task of reading all
commentaries and selected papers and producing closing remarks. I must thank Dr. Meier as well
as all of the other scholars who participated in this important endeavor for ASL. The scholars who
agreed to write a commentary are alphabetically ordered as follow:
Laura Blackburn, Tidewater Community College
Diane Lillo-Martin, University of Connecticut
Heidi Rose, Vanderbilt University
Samuel J. Supalla, University of Arizona
Erin Wilkinson, University of New Mexico
Finally, my action in putting together the first special issue for SASLJ helps represent
SASL organization's central purpose of maintaining a socially sensitive outlook in research and
scholarship for ASL. This includes taking note that the world can be dark in understanding the
alternatives of how human beings develop and use language. The concept of linguistic accessibility
is deemed as indispensable and extremely important concerning deaf people. The participating
scholars in this special issue serve as a testimony for their commitment to supporting and
continuing the work of other groundbreaking scholars on ASL. Please look closely at SASL's logo
below that includes an illustration with a hand holding a torch. The flame of the torch in the logo
subtly illustrates a hand flickering which represents the signed word for FIRE. This signifies
bringing light to fully validate and understand ASL's role in society.
SASLJ, Vol. 2, No. 2 – Fall/Winter 2018
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