"If they don't have access to learning a sign language that's already in existence, then a community of deaf people will find a way to communicate, " said Leanne Hinton, a professor emeritus at the University of California at Berkeley.

CNN: Researchers document distinctive Hawaii Sign Language

An additional 12, 000 or so sign up for distance-learning courses.

FORBES: Prophets of Boom

So I hope that that's just the sign that the Senate majority leader is still learning the ropes of his new job.

CNN: Karen Hughes discusses Bush's global agenda