Every once in a while nature gives us insight into the human condition by providing us with a unique case whose special properties illuminate the species as a whole. Christopher is such an example. Despite disabilities which mean that everyday tasks are burdensome chores, Christopher is a linguistic wonder who can read, write, speak, understand and translate more than twenty languages. On some tests he shows a severely low IQ, hinting at ineducability, yet his English language ability indicates an IQ in excess of 120 (a level more than sufficient to enter university). Christopher is a savant, someone with an island of startling talent in a sea of inability. This book documents his learning of British Sign Language, casting light on the modularity of cognition, the modality neutrality of the language faculty, the structure of memory, the grammar of signed language and the nature of the human mind.

Every once in a while nature gives us insight into the human condition by providing us with a unique case whose special properties illuminate the species as a whole. Christopher is such an example. Despite disabilities which mean that everyday tasks are burdensome chores, Christopher is a linguistic wonder who can read, write, speak, understand and translate more than twenty languages. On some tests he shows a severely low IQ, hinting at ineducability, yet his English language ability indicates an IQ in excess of 120 (a level more than sufficient to enter university). Christopher is a savant, someone with an island of startling talent in a sea of inability. This book documents his learning of British Sign Language, casting light on the modularity of cognition, the modality neutrality of the language faculty, the structure of memory, the grammar of signed language and the nature of the human mind.

In July 1864, six Union soldiers were hanged at Andersonville, a Civil War prison camp notorious then and now for its harsh conditions. But the hanged men's crimes had nothing to do with the war against the Confederacy; they weren't spies or saboteurs. They were the leaders of a gang-known as The Raiders-who terrorized their fellow Union prisoners in the hell of Andersonville. By June 1864, prisoners had had enough, and camp commandant Henry Wirz (executed after the war) sanctioned the formation of a quasi-police force, the Regulators, with permission to arrest, try, and punish offenders. In less than two weeks, the Raiders were broken up and arrested and hung. Andersonville is one of the most notorious aspects of the Civil War, and this is one instance in which brother-against-brother chivalry did not prevail, not even amongst inmates from the same side. Gary Morgan has dug deep into the historical record to tell this story, which is at once dramatic and historically important.

The study of childhood deafness offers researchers many interesting insights into the role of experience and sensory inputs for the development of language and cognition. This volume provides a state of the art look at these questions and how they are being applied in the areas of clinical and educational settings. It also marks the career and contributions of one of the greatest scholars in the field of deafness: Bencie Woll. As the field of deafness goes through rapid and profound changes, we hope that this volume captures the latest perspectives regarding the impacts of these changes for our understanding of child development. The volume will be of essential interest to language development researchers as well as teachers and clinical researchers.