SIF II and SIGNALL II

Abstract

The Centre for Deaf Studies has been recently funded under the SIF II framework and is embarking on an exciting phase of research. The collaborative research allows for three main research strands: (1) a cognitive-functional analysis of the phonology-morphology interface of Irish Sign Language data from the Signs of Ireland corpus, the world's largest digital, annotated corpus of a signed language; (2) aspects of digital collaboration using digital learning objects and (3) leveraging the Signs of Ireland digital corpus with respect to the assessment of receptive language skill, the possibilities for online interactive signed language use and the assessment thereof. The Centre is also a partner in the SIGNALL II project which will create a digital snapshot of what it is to be Deaf in five EU states (Czech Republic, Finland, Ireland, Poland, UK). It takes a look at contemporary experiences of Deafhood in an historical socio-cultural framework. Deaf culture, the right to acquire and use a signed language from a human rights perspective are contrasted with views of deafness as a chronic medical condition requiring a cure.