About Us

Jennifer Abbink, Handy Signs Creator, holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Disorders and a Master’s Degree in Audiology.  She is fluent in American Sign Language and has worked as a free lance interpreter and an educational interpreter.  She spent 10 years working as a Communication Specialist and an Audiologist for a residential school for the deaf.  She is currently employed as an Educational Audiologist for a public school district  She also teaches sign language classes and interprets for her church. 

 

The idea for Handy Signs began in 2007, with a student who could sign, but could not read.  Jennifer began looking for sign language pictures to make him a schedule that he could understand.  However, the only pictures she could find were drawings of signs with descriptions and arrows.  Jennifer knew from her experience teaching sign language classes that even the most intelligent adults could be easily confused by   these drawings.  She knew she needed real photos of signs for her student to be able to understand them.  When she could not find any, she began making them herself.  The sign language picture schedule was a success and she began adding other pictures for her student and his teacher to use.  Jennifer felt that if her student could benefit from these photo-sign cards, other students may also benefit from them, and Handy Signs was born!

 

 

Sign Language Materials for Teachers and Parents