CUHK
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The Centre for Sign Linguistics and Deaf Studies (CSLDS) of the Department of Linguistics and Modern Languages of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has introduced new features to the Hong Kong Sign Language Browser (HKSL Browser), which was supported with the Government Fund for Labour and Welfare Bureau to Implement Public Education Activities on Rehabilitation in 2014-2015. The enhanced HKSL Browser has added about 550 new lexical variants used by different deaf organizations. The new version also features two new modules: Legal Signs and Daily Signs, as well as a new function of Category-based Index. CSLDS hopes that the enhanced HKSL Browser will provide better support to deaf services and help foster the public’s increased understanding of Hong Kong Sign Language and the deaf community. 

Launched in 2013, the HKSL Browser is the first comprehensive online database of Hong Kong Sign Language. As many as 2,300 lexical signs (including lexical variants) have been encompassed in the Browser. The primary aim of this browser is to promote Hong Kong Sign Language to the public and support related fields such as deaf education and sign interpretation. 

The HKSL Browser collects and records lexical signs, the lexical variants used by different deaf communities and their sociolinguistic information including the frequency of use by different deaf organizations, age distribution of users and the origins of the lexical items. The sociolinguistic information allows the public to know more about sign language usage in the deaf community. During the course of the Browser’s development, different deaf organizations were invited to provide the sociolinguistic information and feedbacks for further improvements to the Browser. 

Two new modules have been introduced to include signs specific to the legal setting as well as those frequently used in daily life. As the number of signs in these modules is expected to increase, a new function ‘Category-based Index’ is also introduced to make the browser more user-friendly. 

The CSLDS will continue to develop new browser modules for different professions, such as medicine, computers and technology, facilitating the development of the sign language profession and enhancing deaf services in Hong Kong.

The HKSL Browser: www.cslds.org/hkslbrowser 
The Centre for Sign Linguistics and Deaf Studies: www.cslds.org