The Deafblind Manual Alphabet
[D]
Here is the Deafblind Manual Alphabet, if you are a sighted
person I would be delighted if you would take a copy of this graphical
picture of the Deafblind Manual Alphabet, so you can learn it when you
have the time, you never know you may one day meet a Deafblind person,
it also may help you to communicate to a Deaf person. So why not give it
a try you are not losing anything by just trying.
The Deafblind Manual is the best way to communicate with
someone who is Deafblind. You can learn it quickly, and here's how you
do it. Stick out your index finger (that's the long one next to your thumb)
on your right hand. fold your other fingers out of the way. Think of this
finger as your pen. You are going to use it to write - not on paper, but
on your deafblind friends left hand which they will hold out for you.
First learn the vowels. They're easy. Just remember the
order A,E,I,O,U.
-
For A, Touch the tip of your friend's thumb.
-
For E, Touch the tip of the index finger.
-
For I, Is the middle finger.
-
For O, Is the ring finger.
-
For U, Is the little finger.
And now for the complete alphabet.
-
For A, Touch the tip of your friend's thumb.
-
For B, Bunch the tips of your fingers and place them on your
friends palm.
-
For C, Use your index finger to make a circular movement
that starts on the inside of your friend's thumb and ends at the top of
their index finger.
-
For D, Form a D shape using your thumb and index finger and
placing it on your friend's index finger.
-
For E, Touch the tip of the index finger.
-
For F, Form an F shape using your first two fingers together,
place across your friend's index finger.
-
For G, Clench your fist and place it on your friend's palm,
little finger downside.
-
For H, Lay your open hand across your friend's palm and move
it over thefingers and off the hand.
-
For I, Is the middle finger.
-
For J, Touch the tip of your friend's middle finger and draw
your finger down to the palm and up the thumb. (Think of this as the letter
I with a tail).
-
For K, Bend your index finger and lay the top half of it
against your friend's index finger.
-
For L, Just lay your index finger across your friend's palm.
-
For M, Lay your first three fingers across your friend's
palm.
-
For N, Lay your first two fingers across your friend's palm.
-
For O, Is the ring finger.
-
For P, Hold the tip of your friend's index finger between
your finger and thumb.
-
For Q, Completely circle the base of your friend's thumb
with your thumb and index finger.
-
For R, Bend your index finger and lay it across your friend's
palm.
-
For S, Grasp your friend's little finger with your index
finger.
-
For T, Touch the edge of your friend's palm, at the side
away from the thumb.
-
For U, Is the little finger.
-
For V, Make a V shape with your first two fingers and lay
it on your friend's palm.
-
For W, Grasp the upper edge of your friend's fingers, bending
your fingers around them.
-
For X, Make a cross by laying your index finger over the
top of your friend's index finger.
-
For Y, Place your index finger in the joint between your
friend's thumb and index finger.
-
For Z, Either: place your finger tips against your friend's
palm. Or place the outer edge of your hand across your friend's palm.
And now two quick signs that come in
handy.
-
For YES, Just tap twice on your friend's palm.
-
For NO, (or cancelling what you just said) do a rubbing out
movement on your friend's palm.
The English Deafblind Manual Alphabet
(Evans).
The English Deafblind Manual Alphabet (Evans) is based
on the two-handed manual alphabet used by many sighted deaf people. Deaf
and blind people who do not know the manual alphabet may use the Spartan
alphabet - capital letters spelt on to the palm of the receiver's hand.
The most comfortable position is for the interpreter to
sit on the right of the deafblind person, particularly if the deafblind
person can speak. For conversation with someone who cannot speak, the person
with most to spell should sit on the right, and at a slight angle, as if
seated at a round table.
When standing or walking, the deafblind person should
usually be on the left, with his/her right hand palm upwards so that he/she
can converse and be guided at the same time. When the deafblind person
needs to spell, he/she puts his/her right hand over the interpreter's left
hand.

[Return to the Main Page]