Pro-tactile ASL: A new language for the DeafBlind

This man is speaking a brand new language. You can’t see or hear it-it’s communicated through touch.
For a visual description and transcript, click here: goo.gl/bnjvHu

[@idontcheckmynotifsdontboth7753]

amazing how much us humans are able to come up with to communicate.

[@jolieiler7307]

This is just absolutely mind-boggling that they've created such an intricate way to communicate when two major senses are inaccessible to them. It's so cool to watch, But how do they learn what things like "I'm going to do ___" mean when they can't see or hear what they mean?

[@sadsmile3]

That’s what I was wondering too

[@TheChristianScienceMonitor]

They can experience the activity through touch. Like I'm going shopping. I can use my hand to touch the apples, oranges, etc. Even though I can't see or hear. I can still use my touch to gather useful information about the world.

[@godislovedayany5098]

I wonder how do they learn like what if you were born Fully blind and deaf how do you learn?

[@bed-bugg]

@@godislovedayany5098 It's actually easier this way. Children absorb information faster and more easily than adults do. Just think about how you grew up and the language you speak, you probably don't remember learning it but you speak it, right? Same thing for Deaf-Blind, Blind, or Deaf people -when you grow up in that world of language it becomes second nature. The earlier the better and that's why it's so important to make sure that children everywhere have access to places that can teach them the language if the parents cannot.

[@KayLoveGlam]

@Rob M Thank you for explaining this

[@brie6874]

I can’t imagine how hard it is to learn sign without being able to see OR hear what the signs mean, I have all of my senses and I struggle

[@mikethespike056]

For real though how the hell do they learn it

[@aneros988]

@@mikethespike056 they have to.

[@olliekyles2159]

@@mikethespike056 To explain from a teacher's perspective: when you learn a language, you get every chance to be immersed in the language. Because I am constantly interacting with deaf, blind, and HOH individuals, I get that as a part of my language. Humans are innately keen to communicator; just as you would show a child an apple and say the word, you bring the apple, have the person study the applet and give said fruit it's designated sign. Conventional language comes after you are fully immersed in the wonderful realm of communication. Also, there is no "cut off" for language learning. Get to work picking up that language that intimidated you.

[@pileofsaltOG]

It's mostly by association. It's how we learn languages anyway.

[@pastelmage]

These are some pretty dope handshakes

[@b_f_d_d]

lmao

[@miko5742]

lmfao

[@carolyn9237]

I'm dead 💀😅🤓

[@bigmizzymike]

Welp I'm doomed🔥😈🔥🤣🤣🤣

[@juliaanderson7779]

I'm late to this party but don't mock a real language that is used by people who need it to communicate

[@captainsteve5475]

I just met a couple in Virginia like this. He is deaf and she is deaf and almost completely blind. Watching them communicate was amazing. 😎

[@pneron2032]

How did they communicate?

[@drycoochie2146]

@@pneron2032 like how you see in the video, duh

[@pneron2032]

@@drycoochie2146 That isn't a foregone conclusion, my dearest.

[@nalartv3407]

I can't imagine to live without sound and light, these people are strongest

[@TheAxeh]

ngl I looked this up because I saw a video of a baby that's deafblind and I was curious to how they'd grow to communicate and learn in any way ...this is something so much more than I hoped for and is just humans being wonderful.

[@TheAxeh]

Mind you it's the morbid curiosity that got me, would they ever know their parents? Would they think in any language in particular? What does their inner monologue sound like to them. Would they ever even know their parent could have passed away if they were put in a home..concerning kind of thoughts but I would like to think they'd know :').

[@lala-nm1gh]

this is so incredible

[@hopefitzwater1613]

Great video! I'm legally blind. I'm not deaf or hard of hearing but I wanted to learn ASL and this is how I'm learning. It's so much better for me to do it this way then to try and guess the vissual sign.

[@rubikfan1]

This realy shows the adaptebility of menkind

[@b_f_d_d]

It shows how no matter what challenges humanity faces naturally we find ways around everything.

[@roachcuca3190]

If you have will to live, you can overcome EVERYTHING. Check people like Stephen Hawking. Literally condemned to become a wheelchar speaking robot... But he didnt become that. He became one of the greatest minds of our times.

[@sarahhartley8692]

Came by this video because of my racing 2am thoughts and questions and I am absolutely NOT disappointed. These individuals amaze me. They are coming up with a whole new way to perceive the world and build relationships. They are going to make the world so much brighter and (I hope) a little bit easier for the future deafblind generations to follow them by further evolving this language. The human mind amazes me sometimes. ESPECIALLY theirs! Us humans are social beings with a thirst for knowledge and relationships and nothing will stop us from gaining this! These guys prove that ❤️

[@pongop]

Yes, so true! Folks are literally connected when they communicate by touch.

[@honorlawson97]

I wonder how they managed to cope through this pandemic without being able to touch!? Crazy thought!

[@clarab325]

I’ve always wondered how deaf-blind people could interact with others, this is so interesting!

[@SWTobito0702]

I honestly can't wrap my hesd around how deafblind people can relate their sign language to reality using only touch. For example deaf people can still have visual indicators of an object and the associated hand sign. Like a person can point at an object before making a hand sign to indicate one relates to the other. But using only touch, teaching someone that the object they just felt relates to the hand sign they felt immediately after must be incredibly difficult. Fascinating.

[@corvacopia]

Same, it’s hella interesting

[@lindaosberg-braun520]

I work for an immigration office, and we have a client using that tecnique. I was fascinated with this new pro-tactile languaje.

[@MayaAshAnimation]

I couldn't imagine learning prepositions and adverbs like these extraordinary people

[@catmom1322]

I've always had admiration for various adaptations humans make to work around disabilities. I know a little ASL & have worked with kids in our deaf school & loved it!

[@yottoo.5037]

Extremely amazing. Thank you for sharing this video.

[@dollsNcats]

This is super cool and interesting to me ! I’m not deaf or blind but love asl and this is just amazing to me

[@b_f_d_d]

It's truly fascinating

[@iwonthesitatebitch.570]

i’m so stoned i’ve watched this video lol 3 times

[@GeggoGaming]

💀💀💀

[@Talkagainindreamland]

LMFAOOOO me 2

[@orsemcore]

chavs

[@b_f_d_d]

s. Ame

[@CaveWomen88]

💀😂

[@makenawitt7025]

I never knew about protactile sign language until this video. Thanks for sharing!

[@dominicwilliamson7912]

Short. Quick. Informative. Gets right to the point. 👍

[@blueturtle3623]

Im already fluent in ASL, might as well learn how it works for DeafBlind people. But tbh I saw the tree thing, and my first thought was "SIGNING WITH FOUR HANDS"

[@RobbieSchroederComedy]

the content and editing of this video really hit me emotionally.

[@bulldoglove7631]

Incredible. I really do think ASL and Pro-tactile ASL should be taught in elementary school. I want to learn.

[@darky4555]

That's absolutely amazing, it blows my mind.

[@Mir---tom]

My husband also deafblind but I use only manual but I'll learn sign very soon

[@pongop]

This is amazing. I'm just today learning about Protactile. I wonder how communicating with Protactile influences one's interactions, experiences, and perspectives, with communication, relationships, and life. Touch is a necessity and you're literally connected to others when you communicate. It's beautiful.

[@SaffireRoseFletcher]

This is extraordinary! Well done. 🤜🤛

[@amberwallbridge4034]

I don't understand how they would understand what each sign or movement means. It's mind blowing. Like you can't point and say this sign means bottle or this sign means water

[@sharmainelc]

don't point, give them the object. I also suggest that you watch the helen keller movie, it shows this in action and how she started to learn.

[@R.F.9847]

@@sharmainelc Helen Keller was not born deafblind. She was starting to learn how to speak when she got ill and lost her sight and hearing at 19 months old. Her first word was "water" (or "wa-wa" in baby talk). But when she got sick she stopped learning language. At age six and after intense sessions with Annie Sullivan, Helen was finally able to tap into one of her earliest memories and remember that the stuff flowing into her hand as she stood at the pump was "wa-wa". This was when the proverbial lightbulb went on and she remembered what language was. But this was not a moment of insight when she suddenly discovered language.

[@R.F.9847]

@@jacejohnson7113 Keep in mind that deafness and blindness are spectra. Not all deaf people are 100% deaf and not all blind people are 100% blind. Also, not all deaf and/or blind people were born deaf and/or blind, but rather became so later in life. That said, the human brain is wired to acquire language. There is nothing special about audio-based languages. Modality aside, deaf babies acquire language the exact same way hearing babies acquire language.

[@littlecake453]

It's so fascinating to see it in action. I'm currently interested in ways of tactile signing for development for a couple of my characters. It's impressive how many ways there are to communicate.

[@nootherlikemyownskin3818]

Thank you so much.

[@Fizban712]

Helen Keller didn't just use fingerspelling. She learned to speak through the Tadoma Method, where a hand (or both) is placed on the face to feel the vibrations of speech.

[@MiamiBeachDrew]

I can't believe that PT didn't began until 2007. So happy it is growing, evolving, and being more utilized so our D-B peers can be part of experience! ❤

[@esrastrongie1418]

That's just amazing ❤

[@AlphaLibre9]

I love this!

[@edwardgrabczewski]

Wow! How clever and beautiful 😲

[@Cristinepedraza01]

Amazing!

[@___XY____________0]

I really do feel bad for deaf blind people. I’m very happy there is a way to communicate with them, it just isn’t easy and a lot of people have to learn some of this stuff too to communicate with them.

[@van4195]

deaf blind people probably feel the same way about hearing sighted people

[@mercygrace.]

FASCINATING!!! 😯

[@Tan92lfc]

The professor's work is noble

[@saturahman7510]

That is a beautiful language .

[@rigelrafuse2044]

COVID social distancing must have done a number on these deafblind folk

[@hoohag5371]

And also on kids with developmental delay. They could no longer go to their schools and training centres

[@sweetcupcakeangel3537]

this is awesome

[@aminahreviewsstuff]

I've always wondered this

[@CaveWomen88]

Very cool.

[@eforisme]

But...how do they learn sign language if they’re born deafblind

[@mimimary16]

Christian Kawrje that’s what I’m wondering

[@skaffen]

There is a fascinating book about this, research about Marie Heurtin and her teacher ! You can also watch the movie Marie Heurtin. Basically you start with easy associations : make the person touch water and make her do the water sign with your hands. As you learn the first words it will help learning the more elaborate ones !

[@LuzdeFelix]

Rob M if you’re deaf and blind how did you type that all out...

[@prettystreetchic]

Rob M I work with people with intellectual disabilities and I love what I do. However it’s really hard to tell if they are truly happy and living fulfilling lives as many of them have a difficult time verbalizing or articulating their thoughts and feelings. Your comment made me feel good. I’m glad to see you are able to live your life they way you want with the help of adaptive equipment and technologies!

[@prettystreetchic]

Rob M it’s an inspiring and humbling calling. I’m glad you’re in a better place now!

[@valeriet.5566]

wow this is so interesting

[@kacperxt371]

that's pretty interesting!

[@blueberrypoptart2424]

Imagine their somatosensory cortex layout

[@satashinacumoto8962]

Fck u

[@omaramr6107]

as neuro major that was literally what I was thinking

[@savannadawkins7532]

so dope

[@honeycake4401]

But how do they start learning?

[@YT123Z]

I just learned from in school deaf and blind people are can’t see or can’t hear if so sad tho 😢❤

[@nickpatterson7048]

Any good books or vids on this so I can study?

[@joaovictorbombonatodepaula3133]

Imagine how hard it is when you can't hear or see a thing...

[@user-oh2hx9kf8d]

João Victor Bombonato de Paula I would have just killed myself already

[@velvet650]

@@user-oh2hx9kf8d If you watched this video and thought "wow being deafblind sucks I'd just kill myself" then I you might have missed the whole point.

[@user-oh2hx9kf8d]

Maya Lopez Your right, I haven’t watched the video, I just assumed my opinion by just reading the title, besides pretty much anyone would have this exact conclusion and I don’t mean everybody, I mean most of the entire population

[@user-oh2hx9kf8d]

Pickle Rick agreed

[@perfectfae3534]

amazing 💙

[@Joe.Randy85]

Well do you learn it if you are born blind and deaf how do you give definition to the gestures

[@karenveitch35]

Where is the captioning for this video?

[@b_f_d_d]

bruh

[@sofiamorehead418]

literally in the cc ???

[@Morethanlife-tw3bh]

Humanity can be brilliant and beautiful too

[@oguzhandemren5737]

if you're born deafblind HOW do you to communicate? like how do you register that shaking your hands will convey a meaning how do you learn language? so many things are just skipped over

[@theperennialnow2506]

All humans are born with a language acquisition device (LAD). We all have the innate capacity to develop language of any kind. As babies, our brains are sponges specifically sensitive to language as babies. Spoken language and ASL both use the same language centered areas of the brain, even though the receptive and expressive modalities are different (eyes and hands vs. ears and vocal tract). Pro-tactile sign is no different with touch and hands. They register language the same way we do, just with hands and touch.

[@Thasht.com_]

But how do they know what they’re even talking about what if they’ve been deaf and blind for their whole life they don’t know what you’re even talking about because they never heard or seen it if they’ve been deaf and blind for the whole life

[@edzzzzzen]

I didn’t know that a deafblind person could think, like, how someone who doesn’t know that kind of language lives? since for the thoughts it's kind of necessary that voice in your head or images. I'm really sorry if I was offensive in any way, I'm just trying to understand more about it

[@ThatssSoReagan]

How did they learn it tho

[@samgod]

How's this work with social distancing?

[@yeahsuredude7082]

it doesn't. covid-19 affects disabled people in ways that are completely different to how it affects abled people. it's a significant problem

[@samgod]

@@yeahsuredude7082 dude that sucks. I'm so sorry.

[@noaswes]

How do they learn it tho

[@DirkGorgiel]

Than I have a lot to learn...

[@racertv5202]

Covid-19 entered the chat

[@AeroVibess]

I want to learn it

[@thelojay]

This isn't new. It's been around for decades.

[@jerryhillyer7799]

Yes, as noted in the video, since the early 2000s.

[@TheJoker-qb5ue]

That physically challenged guy dressed better than me 🙌

[@yousefalkhudair4420]

How to teach them that ?

[@brighthousechrome7079]

Can any one tell me how to say hello in Pro tactile ASL please?

[@saulhendrix4459]

Neuralink! 💙

[@user-qb7ou7qw5m]

Good 😢😢

[@KeenanGao]

Hi there. The link to the video description and transcript is no longer working. Could you please update or share some more information? Thank you.

[@JessicaNiles]

So... if the other person is sighted (like the dude in purple appears to be), couldn't/wouldn't Oscar just be able to sign without the addition of touch? And then conversely, when Oscar is the listener, the OTHER speaker would use pro-tactile ASL?

[@asmitheroon]

If the other person understands English and German, and Oscar can speak both but only understands German, would it make sense for Oscar to speak in English while the other guy speaks in German? It would work of course, but it seems a lot simpler to just converse in the common language. Conversation is a two-way endeavor. If Oscar was just using ASL, he would be kind of "speaking into the void" when he signed, not able to get feedback from his conversation partner. With pro-tactile, he can get a sense of how the person he is conversing with is reacting. Kind of like you can read someone's facial expressions while you're talking to them - part of why a video call or face-to-face conversation is richer than an audio-only phone call or a text message conversation. While it's possile to communicate in many ways, you try to pick the one that's best for a given person/conversation etc.

[@ilikeceral3]

Are there other forms of deafblind communication? Like for Japanese or Spanish sign language?

[@abandonrz]

ilikeceral3 i think so, i just saw a tactile for japanese, at least it looked like it.

[@pokelover223]

Abandon RZ omoshiroi ne

[@duffymarie3322]

Block spelling is for each individual letter so I assume it can be done for different writing systems.

[@cccarolin7818]

Seems very difficult

[@ilikeceral3]

cc Carolin for people who need it it's far better than nothing.

[@cccarolin7818]

ilikeceral3 yes you are right

[@allymarch8873]

I guess you'd get used to it over time.

[@brighthousechrome7079]

I reckon that you'd be perfect at it and it would only take 12 hrs a day 7 days a week practise for the next couple of years or so. Easy peasy :-)

[@wolfflow8972]

I'm lucky I can see and hear but I cannot for the life of me comprehend how it's possible to teach ANYTHING to someone who can't see or hear. It doesn't make any sense. Completely baffled???? If anyone ever reads this and understands the process,please explain it to me.

[@terrjackson9283]

you too have the senses of touch, smell, taste, vestibular and proprioception, as well as imagination, no? sight and hearing are just two of seven senses

[@Addison.R]

I love Hellen keller that is how i learnd singh lagwig

[@kentwritepoetry2273]

I searched this vid out of curiosity. But what if you're a deafblind without a hand?

[@MizukiUkitake]

That looks very uncomfortable... I imagine you'd have to do this with someone who is okay with having their arms and chest touched...

[@shyknee]

Absolutely. As someone who is learning tactile signing, you need to be comfortable with touch.

[@Loungemermaid]

Both deaf and blind people are more used to being touched than hearing and sighted people.

[@goodgirlkay]

I was thinking the same thing. Rubbing your hands over a woman's breast might be uncomfortable. LMBAO!

[@IvanMTG1]

In their culture it is not uncomfortable. It would be rude not to do this if you are able to

[@larissatominaga3546]

It is culturally accepted that you have to touch each other in order to communicate and it is different than would be romantic/sexual touch. And for people who commented about a woman you wouldn't touch their breasts but somewhere closer to the neck.

[@pontusgustafsson9510]

Is it possible to learn if you go blinddeaf later in life and not from birth?

[@anthonyarcanumsanctumregnu9551]

Blinddefmidgit Tallhippyaidsvictim Together 4ever

[@user-anonymous95]

Wow

[@Narko_Marko]

how do they learn this if they are deaf and blind from birth? they have never seen a tree, never been able to experience it getting cut, someone pls explain

[@terrjackson9283]

you too have the senses of touch, smell, taste, vestibular and proprioception, as well as imagination, no? sight and hearing are just two of seven senses

[@Narko_Marko]

@@terrjackson9283 those two are primary senses and imagination doesnt work if there is no input

[@robowisanveithasung6022]

they get taught what a tree is

[@slothyyteen-lg7me]

What a scary world they live in omg this sucks soo much

[@nancykanz6510]

👍

[@dania3794]

How they learn it in the first place

[@ggb123_17]

this is proof humans can find ways to solve almost everything

[@tomortiz3514]

Can someone teach me this 🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@iliekpoop8929]

How do you learn this if you’re deaf and blind?

[@Untoldanimations]

How do you learn any other language?

[@terrjackson9283]

you too have the senses of touch, smell, taste, vestibular and proprioception, as well as imagination, no? sight and hearing are just two of seven senses

[@charleanebailey-lake2499]

ASL

[@aminahreviewsstuff]

How do they even learn it omg

[@lovesanimalshatesrats6339]

Can some explain deaf blind to me? They are not 100% deaf and/or blind right, just legally?

[@nootherlikemyownskin3818]

On 6th and 7th Street. Outdoor and indoor Can we on LGBT+ and deaf individuals Events and Activities in Grants Pass Oregon? June 5, 2021 - June 30, 2021 All Day Long Your needs are.

[@michaelowino228]

HI

[@chansherly212]

wait , which parts are the parts where oscar doin the "listening"? for lack of better term, that "cut down a tree" part is where oscar's doing the "talking" right? couldnt he just use regular sign language, sorry for my ignorance, i'm just really interested to know

[@tarananajaika]

He also tells stories to two person at once later in the video. I think that's how communicating should feel like. When you're blind and the one you're talking to walks away without telling you (this happens for real, I would have never thought), you keep talking to nobody. With this he know the other is "listening".

[@spagsauce]

What if deaf, blind and having no limbs?

[@nese1]

Then the guy speaking to the deaf will put his hand inside the deaf's mouth, and start doing those moves.

[@sevengnomesinatrenchcoat]

these new handshakes are getting more and more complicated