Movement Coherence in High Visual Load Environments: Implications for Attention in Mixed-Hearing Classes

Inan, Mert | Imai, Saki | Marshall, Anna | Karel, Tessa | Alikhani, Malihe

Volume:: Proceedings of the LREC2026 12th Workshop on the Representation and Processing of Sign Languages: Language in Motion
Venue:: Palma, Mallorca, Spain
Date:: 16 May 2026
Pages:: 226–238
Publisher:: European Language Resources Association (ELRA)
Licence:: CC BY-NC 4.0
sign-lang ID:: 26015
ISBN:: 978-2-493814-82-1

Abstract

Signed interpretation in movement based instruction creates high visual load environments in which spoken language, sign language, and physical demonstration compete for the same perceptual channel. We present a participatory multimodal observational study of mixed hearing movement and mindfulness classes in which Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and hearing participants practice together. Based on synchronized video recordings and instructor interviews, we examine how alignment across demonstration, signed instruction, and bodily execution is achieved and restored in real time. Drawing on theories of grounding, repair, and sign language interaction, we conceptualize movement coherence as alignment across these parallel streams and describe how breakdowns trigger observable attention shifts and distributed repair across participants, interpreters, and instructors. Across sessions, we identify recurrent coordination strategies including peer checking, freeze and scan, interpreter repositioning, tactile cueing, and pacing adjustment. Our findings provide an empirically grounded account of grounding under attentional constraint in inclusive embodied settings, with implications for sign language interpretation, multimodal discourse, and the design of accessible movement instruction. This paper includes deidentified materials derived from recorded sessions, including selected keyframes, structured interactional annotations, and anonymized instructor and participant survey responses.

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Citation in ACL Citation Format

Mert Inan, Saki Imai, Anna Marshall, Tessa Karel, Malihe Alikhani. 2026. Movement Coherence in High Visual Load Environments: Implications for Attention in Mixed-Hearing Classes. In Proceedings of the LREC2026 12th Workshop on the Representation and Processing of Sign Languages: Language in Motion, pages 226–238, Palma, Mallorca, Spain. European Language Resources Association (ELRA).

BibTeX Export

@inproceedings{inan:26015:sign-lang:lrec,
  author    = {Inan, Mert and Imai, Saki and Marshall, Anna and Karel, Tessa and Alikhani, Malihe},
  title     = {Movement Coherence in High Visual Load Environments: Implications for Attention in Mixed-Hearing Classes},
  pages     = {226--238},
  editor    = {Efthimiou, Eleni and Fotinea, Stavroula-Evita and Hanke, Thomas and Hochgesang, Julie A. and Mesch, Johanna and Schulder, Marc},
  booktitle = {Proceedings of the {LREC2026} 12th Workshop on the Representation and Processing of Sign Languages: Language in Motion},
  maintitle = {15th International Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation ({LREC} 2026)},
  publisher = {{European Language Resources Association (ELRA)}},
  address   = {Palma, Mallorca, Spain},
  day       = {16},
  month     = may,
  year      = {2026},
  isbn      = {978-2-493814-82-1},
  language  = {english},
  url       = {https://www.sign-lang.uni-hamburg.de/lrec/pub/26015.html}
}