Two important points that must be thought through are the depth perception and the mirroring for first time learners of sign language. I came across this topic through reading a project description of the SAIL (Signing Avatars and Immersive Learning) project which is lead by a team from the Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., engaging in the topic of sign learning education.
As depth perception must be learned for first time learners who are not used to manoeuvre in the space in front of themselves, this team helps the users learn American Sign Language signs from both the first-person perspective and the third-person perspective with help of VR and using principles from embodied learning. Not only does it require to practice to move their body in a 3D environment, but also mirroring the instructor the other way round. The SAIL project team solves this mirroring thinking which is unusual for first time users by viewing both perspectives in form of a augmented teacher that is standing in front of you and also by showing augmented hands that are supposed to show you your own body movement you should do in front of your body.
The team itself states the great potential in this new way for learning ASL (American Sign Language) for native ASL users who will learn in the comfort of their own homes. Their next steps in their project are the conduction of EEG cognitive neuroscience experiments which should show the effects of embodied learning on ASL learning and also transfering their project ideas to an AR version after the VR version is developed entirely.
The use of the first person perspective helps learners especially in the beginning as I personally have seen that I have looked downwards and focused a lot on my hands and the precious movement while trying to sign for the first time. Watching videos of people who sign words while trying to sign by yourself and being unsure if you mirrored the sign correctly in your mind, would not be necessary and reassure you on what you are doing. Including this would also help the learner to keep on with the work as he would feel more confident throughout the learning process.
source: https://stemforall2020.videohall.com/presentations/1720
