This paper describes the features of a free, open-source software tool, Sign Language Phonetic Annotator+Analyzer (SLP-AA), which is designed to facilitate phonetic/phonological transcription and analysis on sign languages.

The software supports two modes: the Annotator mode allows the user to build phonetically transcribed corpora of sign languages, and the Analyzer mode lets the user perform phonological searches or analyses on the built corpora. We give a detailed description of one type of phonological search — the extended finger search function — and point out a potential application of this function with respect to sign language research.