Shut Up and sign

A DVD title that would probably get challenged in the UK, as it suggests deaf can't talk, and is not captioned either.  A local (Burbank, Cal,) man is making it his mission to make sign language fun and easy to learn for the deaf and hearing community.

You may know the words to "Jingle Bells" and "Silent Night", but can you sign them?  Bob Hiltermann, 60, is a deaf actor taking his show to a hearing audience.  His goal is to break down barriers between the hearing and the hearing impaired.  "They're not different than hearing people," said Hiltermann. "They're all the same. They're not lesser citizens. We're exactly the same, just a different language that's it."

He's successful now, but as a child who lost his hearing to spinal meningitis he felt discriminated against.  "I had been mocked at, made fun at, called stupid and dumb," said Hiltermann.  Hearing impaired students like Solanj Mandani feel the same way.  "I'm in a class and they think I can't talk," said Mandani.

Hiltermann believes if everyone learned how to sign young people like Solanj wouldn't be left out.  He's developed a series of DVD's, called "Shut Up and Sign!" aimed at teaching the hearing how to sign.

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