An ocean protection organization is ensuring that awareness about the great big sea and its inhabitants is accessible to those who use sign language, with help from a B.C. teacher.

Ocean Exploration Trust has been making videos teaching viewers how to say ocean-related terms in sign language. It91裸聊视频檚 all thanks to Christopher Clauss, who was aboard the E/V Nautilus, Ocean Exploration Trust91裸聊视频檚 research vessel.

Clauss was part of the 91裸聊视频極cean Signs of the Day91裸聊视频� series on the Nautilus Instagram, found at . He91裸聊视频檚 a middle school science teacher at Marlborough School in Burnaby.

He first learned American Sign Language at the University of New Hampshire, where he then had his first teaching job at Austine School for the Deaf in Vermont.

91裸聊视频淚 loved my time at Austine, working with Deaf colleagues and teaching classes in my second language,91裸聊视频� Clauss said in a statement.

91裸聊视频淢any of my students came from hearing families who didn91裸聊视频檛 sign at all, and this left significant gaps in their background understanding about how the world works.91裸聊视频�

Clauss brought his teaching and signing skills to the Nautilus in a recent expedition from July 19 to July 28. The expedition began in B.C. and went through the Central Pacific, ending in Hawaii. The purpose was to fill gaps in seafloor mapping.

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Jamie Zaccaria, digital media specialist for Ocean Exploration Trust, said that Clauss was a great addition to the Nautilus.

91裸聊视频淲e were incredibly fortunate that one of our 2023 Science Communication Fellows, science teacher Christopher Clauss, is fluent in ASL and ASL education and collaborated with our (communications) team to create the amazing ASL ocean vocabulary videos,91裸聊视频� Zaccaria said.

Clauss first got involved with the trust three years ago, after attending a workshop. This is his first year as a science communication fellow.

91裸聊视频淓ach winter I would tell myself 91裸聊视频榯his is the year I am going to apply,91裸聊视频� but summers and school years always filled up too quickly,91裸聊视频� Clauss said.

91裸聊视频淭his year my New Year91裸聊视频檚 resolution was to make it happen, and I91裸聊视频檓 so glad I finally did.91裸聊视频�

Clauss91裸聊视频� last video was posted on July 31, three days after his time on the Nautilus.

As a teacher, Clauss said he believes it91裸聊视频檚 important to represent every child in his classroom.