Sign Language Course For The Hearing Impaired
There are many problems faced by the hearing impaired to attain education and that too higher education in our country. It is a lengthy and a slow process.Parents and teachers constantly need to help them. At an early age of five or six years training needs to be started. As the child grows and gets somewhat confident he is then able to develop rational, analytical and cognitive skills essential for his adjustment into the environment. Parents have to teach them lip reading, basic language and arithmetic skills. Mathematics, science and other subjects can also be taught to them when they become some what mature. A choice has to be made between a program of sign language and a program of oral education.
A sign language is composed of manual communication, body language and lip patterns so that meanings could be conveyed. Hand movements and hand shapes are used with facial expressions and lip movement. Sign language is fluid. If parents, friends and teachers learn, it would be a whole new word for the people with hearing impairment. communication for the deaf people more than the oral languages. Sign Language is very fluid for conversation. If parents, friends and teachers learn this language a whole new world can be created for the people with hearing impairment.
98% of the deaf population is illiterate in India. Sign Language needs to be the first language for the deaf after learning it they can learn English or some other language. NCERT has included this language in the curriculum but unfortunately no school follows these guidelines.
Even after clearing the school exams and boards exams of 10th or 12th, they might find it difficult to frame sentences. There are around 550 schools for deaf in India but there is lack of proper infrastructure in these schools.
Considering all such problems, IGNOU has launched a B.A degree program in Applied Sign Language in collaboration with University of Lancashire. It is of 4 year duration. Degree from the University of Central Lancashire, UK will be awarded to the pass outs. The course is also introduced with an objective of training deaf people so that they may become teachers, interpreters and other professionals who would know Sign Language.
Applied Sign Language is the combination of the elements of applied linguistics, sign languages and the needs of deaf communities. Each country or regions has its own sign language. The course includes practical in laboratories, work placements and there are modules that contain experiments. Those who don’t have prior formal secondary education can first take a Foundation Entry Course can be taken by those who do not have formal secondary education previously. Foundation course is of one year duration. After doing it the student can continue with the B.A program. Scholarships are also given for the one year Foundation Entry Course to both Indian and foreign students. These scholarships are given by The Deaf Empowerment Foundation. These include one year of tuition fees at Rs.10,000 for the Indian students and ₤1,500 for the non-Indian students.
