In this paper we would like to present the way virtual learning environments (VLEs) are employed into the teaching and learning of British Sign Language (BSL) at the Centre for Deaf Studies of Bristol University, U.K. By considering cyberspace a culturally constructed environment where people can form different virtual communities, this paper will focus on the creation of a virtual learning community for the purposes of BSL learning. Both tutors and students have access and meet on two main websites: SignStation and DeafStation, from where they can retrieve authentic BSL material during their classes and interact through a videoconferencing software system, Panda. We describe the development of VLE and discuss the practices employed when meeting online in terms of instruction delivery and knowledge construction.
@inproceedings{mertzani:06018:sign-lang:lrec,
author = {Mertzani, Maria and Denmark, Clark and Day, Linda},
title = {Forming Sign Language Learning Environments in Cyberspace},
pages = {88--91},
editor = {Vettori, Chiara},
booktitle = {Proceedings of the {LREC2006} 2nd Workshop on the Representation and Processing of Sign Languages: Lexicographic Matters and Didactic Scenarios},
maintitle = {5th International Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation ({LREC} 2006)},
publisher = {{European Language Resources Association (ELRA)}},
address = {Genoa, Italy},
day = {28},
month = may,
year = {2006},
language = {english},
url = {https://www.sign-lang.uni-hamburg.de/lrec/pub/06018.pdf}
}