Visual Language

A language that uses the visual-gestural modality for communication, as opposed to the auditory-vocal modality of spoken languages. Sign languages are visual languages that encode information through hand shapes, movements, spatial relationships, facial expressions, and body posture — all processed visually rather than aurally. The shift from sequential auditory processing (spoken language) to simultaneous visual processing (sign language) represents a significant cognitive challenge for hearing learners, as multiple channels of visual information must be decoded concurrently.