Team+1,+ref+log+1b


 * Team 1, Reference log 1b: Dictionaries ||  ||<   ||
 * Reviewed by //Ginny//

Main Dictionary. (2005). Retrieved February 6, 20100, from [|www.aslpro.com] || American Sign Language, frequently accepted as a foreign language by colleges and universities, is a manual communication system frequently used by persons with hearing impairments or other disabilities hindering oral communication.

The ASLPro.com website was designed as a free resource for teachers to create accounts in order to personalize quizzes for students or provide them access to sign language models (other than their classroom teacher). Although many portions of the website require an account to gain access, the four dictionaries provided—Main, Religious, Conversational, and ASL for Babies, provide open access to even the casual visitor. Like so many other free website resources, the ASLPro.com web pages, especially its Home Page, are riddled with distracting advertisements and lack an attractive visual quality.

Each of the four dictionary sites has a similar format but for the purposes of this review, I will refer to the “Main Dictionary” as it is the one most commonly used with students. Quite simply, users may search for signs by selecting the appropriate letter of the alphabet and then scrolling through the list of possible words located in the “Choices” box. Once a word is selected by a left double-click of the mouse, a video clip of a sign language interpreter performing the sign appears. Using the “VCR” buttons located near the video screen, users may opt to pause, replay, or otherwise navigate the video clip at will.

Although this website is not sophisticated or “fancy,” it gets the job done. As System Resource for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired programs in the Douglas County School System, I am frequently contacted in regard to sign language resources. Often, it is the teacher of a young student with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities who is searching for a method of establishing a communication system for the child. The teacher may have little to no experience with sign language and cannot invest funds into purchasing expensive materials or taking classes.

Similarly, ASLPro.com is frequently accessed by students with hearing impairments who are engaging in vocabulary development. Many students choose computer time as their reward in order to freely “surf” this site in search of new and interesting signs to add to their language repertoire. Talk about a win-win situation! Many students without a hearing loss are attracted to or fascinated by sign language—they, too, are able to reap the benefits of this website. In short, ASLPro.com provides access to a plethora of accurate signs demonstrated by real people. While printed versions of sign language dictionaries have their place, ASLPro.com serves many needs in a cost-free, yet effective and efficient manner. ||

Grades: 2 - 12+ Subject(s): All Subjects are Applicable Rating: //8// || ||< //Kesha's// comment :

//Claudie's// comment : After reading your review I went to this site and checked it out. I have tried to learn some sign language from printed materials and this is much more retainable. It gives you the rhythm of the word as well as the action. It would be nice if you could put together short sentences or expressions with it also. || //Citation in APA format goes here.//
 * Reviewed by //Kesha//

//Text of review of reference source goes here.//

Grades: enter //your best judgment of age/grade appropriateness of the resource// Subject(s): enter //your best judgment of subject area(s) where resource would be most valuable// Rating: // provide your rating, using scale of 1-10 // ||  ||<  //Ginny's// comment :

//Claudie's// comment : || Merriam-Webster On-line Thesaurus. Retrieved February 2, 2010 from [|http://www.merriam-webster.com]. Merriam Webster is a well-known name in reference sources. But this site doesn’t lend credibility to it’s reputation. This website provides an one box entry point for both the dictionary and the thesaurus. This site does not offer as extensive output as you would find in a printed source. In fact, for each word I entered only one alternative was returned. (Adverb for an adverb, verb for a verb). So all you could expect was one alternative word for any word you put in search box. Additionally the ads, banners, and pop-ups make it totally distractive. Given the name Merriam-Webster the information is reliable and credible. The openness of the web-site makes it inappropriate for student use. Age/grade level: adult Subject area(s): English language Overall rating (1-10): Poor (3) Cost: free. ||  ||<  //Ginny's// comment : I could not agree more about its limited word offerings. I use this website when I'm writing & need to quickly check a word's definition; otherwise, I rely on other sources for more in-depth word assistance. (I really wish Visual Thesaurus was a free source!!)
 * Reviewed by //Claudie//

//Kesha's// comment : ||