Abstract

American Sign Language (ASL) is a gestural form of communication used by the North American deaf and hearing impaired communities. In free conversation, ASL is as rapid a form of communication as most spoken languages, including English. Yet, users of ASL are prevented from using their most efficient form of communication over long distances by the absence of affordable, high bandwidth communication technology. Use of the existing, low bandwidth telephone switching network for ASL video transmission requires substantial signal compression. To insure that the ASL signal remains useful following compression, we must first determine the visual requirements for intelligible ASL.

© 1989 Optical Society of America