20% Project Proposal

         For this 20% Time Project, I will be learning how to communicate through sign language. I will work alone, yet by the completion of the project I can use this acquired skill to communicate with other ASL (american sign language) speakers, especially those who can only communicate using sign language.

         This project is beneficial to me because I will be able to communicate with a wider spectrum of people, which broadens my chances of job opportunities in the future. By midterms, I expect to learn over 100 of the most common signs, some of which pertain to family, places, time, etc. I will also refresh my knowledge on the alphabet and numbers. Finally, I will be able to form sentences using my new-found knowledge and use it to have conversations with other people who know sign language.

         One of the best parts of the project is that completing it requires no cost. I will use reliable sources, such as the official American Sign Language website, and videos found online. Because my method of learning is mostly on the internet, I can complete it inside and outside of school. However, if I do need help, I have a close friend whose father is deaf. He is my inspiration for learning sign language, as I would like the opportunity to communicate with him. My mother also knows a bit of sign language, so I have a suffice amount of people to help me should I ever need assistance.

       I plan on learning a different topic every week to keep a loose schedule. For instance, one week I will work on mastering signs for family while the next I will focus on places. I will use class time to not only learn new signs, but to practice as well. Overall, I believe that this project is not only beneficial for my future, it will be interesting and entertaining to complete as well.