Zine project for CANS 312
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For many d/Deaf people, communication stops at borders, not hearing.
Sign languages are not universal, and understanding each other across countries and cultures can be deeply difficult. In this way, language itself becomes a barrier.
As Alexandre Baril notes, “linguistic minorities can, in different contexts, be categorized as disabled” (p. 165). When deaf people are linguistic minorities, they are effectively disabled twice.
Because of this, the global Deaf community is often pushed into online spaces, relying on typing, writing, or text-based communication instead of meeting face to face. Even video calls only work when everyone shares the same sign language. Deaf-led meetups are often limited to people who already sign the same language, reinforcing separation rather than connection.
Interpreters are frequently presented as the solution, but they are not always available, affordable, or accessible. The constant need to rely on an interpreter can become a barrier in itself, another layer of labor added to everyday interaction.
This is where Spoon Theory becomes essential. Christine Miserandino explains that “the difference in being sick [disabled] and being healthy [able-bodied] is having to consciously think about things when the rest of the world doesn't have to” (p. 1). For Deaf people, every conversation can cost spoons: planning communication, arranging interpretation, switching languages, or deciding whether the effort is worth it at all.
What we are trying to fix is not Deafness, but exhaustion, exclusion, and the constant work required just to be understood.
As Alexandre Baril writes, there are "Anglonormative assumptions in disability studies that remain largely unchallenged" (p.157).
These assumptions shape how accessibility, disability, and even sign languages are understood, often privileging English and English-dominant contexts.
This is especially problematic when thinking about sign languages.
"There are over 300 different sign languages worldwide, each with unique grammar, vocabulary, and cultural influences... They are fully-fledged languages, using space and facial expressions. Sign languages continue to evolve naturally within Deaf communities, preserving cultural identity and enhancing communication."
Some of the most widely used sign languages include:
Treating one sign language as universal erases this diversity. Recognizing multiple sign languages and resisting Anglonormative defaults is essential for building a truly inclusive future.
PRODUCT SKETCH camera from meta glasses on/off up select down
Existing SignGlasses rely on syncing to a live interpreter feed. In places like classrooms or workplaces, where an interpreter is already present, this can be useful, letting users keep access to interpretation even when they're not looking directly at the interpreter.
But that's also the limit.
Outside of these controlled environments, SignGlasses don't function. No interpreter means no access. They don't support spontaneous conversations, everyday errands, or social situations where interpretation isn't already built in.
VR glasses aren't the solution either. While they're often marketed as “innovative," they're bulky, isolating, and impractical for daily life. They pull users out of the real world instead of helping them engage with it and they're not designed for continuous, real-world communication.
Our glasses aren't a magic fix for everything.
LIMITATIONS
Right now, they can't fully bridge the gap between signers and people who don't understand sign language. Communication still depends on whether the other person knows how to sign, and that limitation matters.
But this isn't the endpoint.
A future version could record the wearer's sign language and translate it in real time, broadcasting it in the spoken language of choice. This would allow Deaf signers to communicate with non-signers without constantly having to explain or adapt.
This would require Al, which is a limitation in itself.
Al systems are imperfect, can misinterpret nuance, and raise concerns about surveillance, data ownership, and whose language norms are being prioritized. Needing Al to bridge communication highlights a deeper accessibility gap that technology alone can't solve.
Our product is evolving.
We're transparent about its limits and critical of the tools it may need to rely on while still imagining more inclusive futures.
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Baril, Alexandre. (2016) "Doctor, Am I an Anglophone Trapped in a Francophone Body?" An Intersectional Analysis of "Trans-crip-t Time" in Ableist, Cisnormative, Anglonormative Societies." Journal of Literary & Cultural Disability Studies, Volume 10. ASL Bloom. (2025). Exploring Different Sign Languages Used Around the World. Aslbloom.com; ASL Bloom.
https://www.aslbloom.com/blog/different-sign-languages Miserandino, C. (2020). The Spoon Theory. https://lymphoma- action.org.uk/sites/default/files/media/documents/2020- 05/Spoon%20theory%20by%20Christine%20Miserandino.pdf SignGlasses. (2026). All-in-one smarter communication —
SignGlasses. SignGlasses. https://www.signglasses.com
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