Sign Language: A fundamental right of the hearing impaired

Er. Prabhat Kishore

(The author is a technocrat and academician. He holds a Master in Engineering from M.N. Regional Engineering College, Allahabad/Prayagraj)

The world is going to celebrate “International Day of Sign Language” on September 23 for the full realisation of the hearing impaired people. Sign language is the means of communication through body movement, especially hand, finger, arm, head, and facial expressions, besides particular symbols developed. This practice is older than speech.

Since conventional speaking requires sense of hearing for people to speak, sign language helps hearing-impaired people to communicate with others as well as among themselves. This helps in the social inclusion of HI people and leads to a path of their all-round development with dignity.

The history of signs is as old as civilisation itself. When there was no formal language, signs were used for communication. Initially, the baby and his/her family make connections with each other through signs. Over a period of time, standard sign languages such as American Sign Language (ASL), British Sign Language (BSL), Indian Sign Language (ISL), etc. have been developed, which are being used as effective communication tools by HI personnel to survive in the world.

Sign language is used where speaking is not possible or difficult. It can be frustrating for HI people if they are not able to communicate properly with the people around them. Sign language bridges the language barriers between the hearing impaired and the speaking people.

Sign language is a naturally evolved language like other oral languages and is considered to be the mother tongue of the HI people. Like other spoken languages, sign language is also used to convey feelings, thoughts, and other information to the recipients. Sign language interprets to translate the oral language into visual-manual language to make HI people understand the information.

According to Census 2011, there are more than 13 lakh HI people and more than one crore people having hard of hearing in Bharat. As per the WHO report, by 2050, nearly 250 crore persons will have some degree of hearing loss, and at least 70 crore will have to be hearing rehabilitated worldwide. Hence, there is a need to promote sign language in various areas for the betterment and uplift of the HI persons. Once the hearing-able children learn the sign language, it will make them intermingle with their HI counterparts, which will be useful in the mainstreaming and inclusive education of such students.

Access to information through sign language is a fundamental right of the HI people. It is also essential to provide educational, vocational, social, and personal guidance in sign language to HI people. Such people have to face a lot in the form of social stigma and discrimination. The lack of facilities, such as the unavailability of signage at public places to challenge in schools and workplaces, makes their day-to-day life difficult.

The absence of sign language interpreters in schools is an important barrier in the schooling of HI persons, which ultimately results in either such people remaining uneducated or they are forced to drop out. Under Samagra Shiksha, efforts have been made to provide proper hearing equipment to the HI children so that they could cope with the lessons taught and remain in the mainstream.

It is the need of the hour that sign language be promoted effectively in every walk of life, not only for HI people and persons working for them, but all those members of the society and family where such persons are living.

The awareness and sensitisation activities will pave the way to change the mindset of society as well as families, which will prove to be a milestone in the long run for mainstreaming the HI people and the welfare of the country.