[wck0]

What's your point? The same can be said with regards to oral communication.

People who communicate in sign language do so in a very expressive way, a way that pure text cannot capture. You should go out of your way to experience this for yourself.

[hirundo]

My point is that I'm ignorant on the subject but interested and so am asking questions to learn about it.

[hgsgm]

Do you use audio/video chat? Why don't you type instead?

[wck0]

And you won't get any enlightening information via text chat like this. Go experience sign language.