Teachers from the Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind in Staunton say American Sign Language will always be the preferred choice in the deaf community.

However, they say a technique, known as cued speech, could soon be used more often.

It's similar to sign language, in that it uses hand gestures for communication.

However, cued speech emphasizes the oral method of speech, because it uses gestures that work alongside lip-reading.

VSDB science teacher Harry Wood says, "As more research is disseminated about the effectiveness of cued speech, I believe you will find it will used more in educational programs."

A group in the deaf community that uses cued speech is attending an event called Cue Camp Virginia this weekend in Williamsburg.