International Sign Language Day: Low public knowledge hampers speech & hearing impaired from communicating

Thiruvananthapuram: In India, despite efforts to help the speech & hearing-impaired learn sign language, significant communication barriers continue to exist. The problem arises when it comes to mainstreaming these individuals as the general public is still mostly clueless about even common sign language gestures.

As the world observes Monday (September 23) as International Sign Language Day, several forums for speech & hearing-impaired people have come forward to stress the need to impart awareness among the general public on basic communication prompts using sign language.

In a positive move towards this direction, the Kerala State Differently-abled Welfare Corporation (KSDAWC) has recently recommended to the Kerala government to make the basics of sign language part of school curriculum.

Kerala Deaf Consortium (KDC), an united forum of various organisations of the speech and hearing impaired people, is also initiating steps like distribution of booklets giving awareness to the general public on basic communication using sign languages. 

Stressing the need to have sign language awareness among the people, Kairali Foundation of Deaf Women general secretary Mary Lousia Luiz narrates the difficulties faced by speech impaired in communicating their plight to the police effectively.

Talking to the DH with the help of an interpreter, Luiz said that many women with speech impairment who suffer crimes were even showing reluctance to report the matter to the police owing to the difficulties in communication.

"Only if police officers are aware of sign language that persons with speech and hearing disability could effectively communicate their plight. Similarly when we go to meet any doctor, we are unable to effectively communicate our health problems to the doctor owing to doctors' lack of awareness about sign languages," said Luiz.

KSDAWC chairperson Jayadaly M V points out that there were instances of speech impaired persons held by police struggling to communicate their innocence to the police. Hence public servants need to have awareness on sign languages, she said.

Meanwhile, technological advancements like video call have drastically improved the scope for communication for the speech and hearing impaired. "Earlier we had little scope for communication over phones. But video call and text message facilities have made drastic changes," says K C Isaac of All Kerala Association of the Deaf.

The consortium urges the government to spread awareness about sign language among the people through social media and poster campaigns at public places.