Visual Gestural Communication

Programs that provide instruction in visual gestural communication (VGC), a mode of communication in which people use movement of the hands, face or other parts of the body in place of (or in addition to) verbal communication or sign language. VGC differs from sign or spoken language in that anyone can understand the communication, from young children to adults, those who do not speak and those who speak different languages. VGC is not considered a language, but can be used to enhance sign language. VGC is similar to but different than mime, which is more exaggerated gesturing. Gesture is more like storytelling in which the individual stands in one place and uses hand and body movements that are smaller, including "classifiers" (hand shapes that resemble how objects look) rather than acting.