A comparison of the learnability of manual sign and Blissymbolics with nonhandicapped adults

Although advocates exist for teaching either Blissymbolics or manual sign to language-impaired students, relatively few empirical data exist on the learnability of the two systems. The present study compared the learning of a list of 20 Blissymbols and comparable ASL signs in a controlled paired-associate (P-A) paradigm. Blissymbols were learned significantly faster than manual sign particularly in early learning trials. Results are discussed in terms of the memory requirements of the two systems and their relationship with sign/symbols learning.