Deaf Life Press’s second book, Meeting Halfway in American Sign Language by Bernard Bragg and Jack R. Olson, has finally been published. This is the most lavishly-illustrated photographic sign-language textbook published to date—anywhere.

A combination press conference, dedication, book-signing, and reception is being held on April 4, 4:00-7:00 p.m., in NTID’s Switzer Gallery (LBJ Building, 2nd floor). The local Deaf community, teachers, students, and media representatives are all welcome to attend. This will be a good opportunity to meet and talk with Dr. Bragg and Dr. Olson and ask them questions about ASL teaching, translating, or performing. Attendees can also purchase copies of the book at a discount. We anticipate a good turnout.

Please spread the word to anyone else who might be interested.

ASL users and English speakers come from opposite ends of the pole—or so it seems. The barriers to communication are insurmountable—or so it seems. Is there a way for "cross-culturally-inexperienced" English speakers and ASL users to communicate with each other? Meeting Halfway in American Sign Language presents a "user-friendly" approach to an old problem. It includes a discussion of the five major modes of ASL (COMBO-, PARA-, PICTO-, DACTO-, and INITI-Sign); a theoretical analysis of four variations of ASL (Traditional, Modern, Englished, and Rarefied) and a study of classifiers; advice on signing and translating; several glossed frame-by-frame dialogues, stories, and poems (both English and ASL); exercises and practice material; and bibliography.

Approximately 1,300 photographs accompany the text, making this the most lavishly-illustrated photographic sign-language book ever published. An ideal supplementary text for intermediate sign-language classes—but can be used and enjoyed by beginning and advanced students as well.