Center for Sign Language Research, Basel
Das Forschungszentrum für Gebärdensprache (FZG), Basel
The Center for Sign Language Research (Forschungszentrum für Gebärdensprache, FZG) is a nonprofit organization founded in Basel in 1982. The FZG conducts its own research and development projects as well as functions as a partner with other organizations and academic institutions, both within Switzerland and abroad.
Research and Development Projects
The primary research of the Center focuses on the sign languages in Switzerland, particularly of Swiss German Sign Language (Deutschschweizerische Gebärdensprache, DSGS). Several FZG-projects have also applied knowledge and methodology from research on sign language to related forms of visual/corporal communication such as co-speech gestures, orchestra conducting gestures and mime.
Disseminating Information about Sign Language Research
One of the most encouraging things about the development of sign language research over the past four decades has been the effect the awareness of this research has had on governmental and educational policies important for signers in their everyday lives. From the beginning, the FZG has therefore emphasized the dissemination of its own research as well as on sign language research in general, both through publications and sign language products (CDs, Videos etc.).