Editing American manual alphabet (section)

== English and the manual alphabet ==
Since fingerspelling was originally developed in order to incorporate the English language into sign language, it is very closely linked to English. Studies have shown that deaf individuals process reading and fingerspelling similarly. As a result, fingerspelling has had a profound impact on the literacy of deaf and hard of hearing children. This conclusion is widely accepted, but the debate lies in which methods of teaching best utilize this relationship.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Scott |first1=Jessica A. |last2=Hansen |first2=Sarah G. |last3=Lederberg |first3=Amy R. |date=2019 |title=Fingerspelling and Print: Understanding the Word Reading of Deaf Children |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1353/aad.2019.0026 |journal=American Annals of the Deaf |volume=164 |issue=4 |pages=429–449 |doi=10.1353/aad.2019.0026 |pmid=31902797 |s2cid=208619892 |issn=1543-0375|url-access=subscription }}</ref>