Rachel Coleman
Rachel Coleman is the creative force behind the award-winning children’s program Signing Time and Two Little Hands Productions.
When their first daughter, Leah, was fourteen months old, Rachel and her husband, Aaron, discovered that Leah was profoundly deaf. They immediately began learning and then teaching their daughter American Sign Language (ASL). They soon discovered that Leah had a more advanced vocabulary than children her age who could hear. Other parents, including Rachel’s sister Emilie, noticed that Leah could sign complex requests such as “Cheese and crackers, please.” Emilie began teaching her son Alex to sign.
Rachel and Emilie put together a short video for family and friends to teach basic signs so they could communicate with Leah. This small beginning expanded and other parents, educators, speech therapists, daycare centers, and health professionals used it for children everywhere.
The video helped Rachel and Aaron’s second daughter, Lucy, who was born with spina bifida and cerebral palsy and at age two was not communicating. While watching a video, Lucy began to sign and eventually to speak.
Two Little Hands Productions has grown into a full line of children’s products with brands Signing Time, Baby Signing Time, Potty Time, Rachel & the TreeSchoolers, and Rachel & Me.
Rachel and Emilie are daughters of Lex de Azevedo, who served as CEO for many years. Rachel is a gifted musician and has performed in many Signing Time concerts. She has served on the board of the National Association for Deaf Children. She has been featured in numerous national publications and media programs.
She is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
