At a time when the world experienced a surge in COVID-19, amid a slew of news articles were a few that highlighted how the pandemic inordinately affected persons with disabilities. During the pandemic, when important information—including additions and changes in COVID guidelines—were relayed effectively and with ease to non-disabled communities, deaf people remained at a disadvantage due to lack of sign language interpreters at press events and even on media channels. On International Day of Sign Languages, we speak to deaf individuals, children and parents of deaf people, and sign language interpreters on why it is crucial for persons without disabilities to know and learn sign language. This can build a more inclusive society and bridge the communication gap between deaf people and non-disabled individuals.
"Not only is learning a second language good for your brain, it is also a great way to expand your communication skills. This is especially true for Indian Sign Language (ISL), which is one of the most commonly used languages as we have 18 million people in the [deaf] community. In today’s world, the advantages of learning sign language are identical to those of learning a foreign language. Bilingualism—whether it is spoken or signed—is beneficial to the brain as it improves cognition and reasoning as well as memory, focus, creativity, etc."
- GEETA BHATIA SHARMA (31), freelance Indian Sign Language interpreter and social entrepreneur
"My parents are deaf and so am I, and we use sign language to communicate with each other. It is so important for hearing people to learn sign language as it has many benefits… You might have a deaf brother, sister, even parents who are deaf. In the future, you might have a deaf child or you may have hearing loss due to old-age or an accident. In such a scenario, you can use sign language to communicate."
- SHALINI (22), student at the Indian Sign Language Research And Training Centre
"I am a hearing adult but my brother-in-law is deaf. In order to communicate easily with him, it was important for me to learn sign language. In fact, I can also step in as an interpreter whenever required so that he feels like he is a part of the family and feels included. Sign language learning is important because it creates a conducive environment to promote inclusivity."
- ABHISHEK TYAGI (27), student at the Indian Sign Language Research And Training Centre
"The reason why I feel that people should know, learn, and talk about sign language is because there are millions of people in India itself who are using this language as the only mode of communication in their lives. And that is a big thing. In India itself we have so many we have so many regional languages, and—as citizens—we respect each other's languages, we try to accommodate as much diversity as possible. But when it comes to sign language, we are not ready to acknowledge it because it is not a verbal language!? It is important to learn sign language because there are so many people who use this language every single day to live their lives. According to me, real inclusivity comes when we actually start looking at people around us as 'humans' and not just the boxes or the categories that they fall into. For me, a deaf person is not just a deaf person, but a human, a friend, a neighbour, a colleague... all of that. Wouldn't you do that to make a person around you feel more welcomed and more inclusive in the space that you are in!? I think it is a very basic human thing to do—to make people around you feel welcomed. And sign language is a beautiful language where you are not uttering a word, and not using vocals, but are still able to share, exchange, communicate everything that your heart says or you want to communicate, be it official or personal. Also, I believe, a small step can go a long way. I, obviously, don't expect people to become masters in sign language but I think through this day, we must inform people that even basic sign language can make a person feel very inclusive and [taking] that little step [of learning sign language] should be like a duty to everybody."
-SMRITI NAGPAL, Sign Language Interpreter and founder, Atulyakala, India's first deaf-run lifestyle brand
"I am a CODA (child of deaf adults) and I have been using sign language to communicate with my parents from when I was a child. According to me, sign language is extremely important for every individual to learn so that there is no communication gap between us and people from the deaf community, and we can both understand each other and make the other comprehend what we are thinking or want to express."
-MONIKA SINGH (23), student at the Indian Sign Language Research And Training Centre
"With the pandemic, deaf signers have expressed immense frustration with regards to communication challenges be it with local shopkeepers, doctors, etc. Due to mandated mask-wearing, it has become difficult for the deaf community to become more inclusive with nonsigners. What would make a difference is if nonsigners take the initiative to learn ISL; it will cause a ripple effect on creating an inclusive community. In a country like India, I see so many nonsigners doing basic gestures—raising one's hand to call an auto, using your thumb and pinkie finger by your ear to express ‘call me'—in everyday life. Just showing a bit more effort to learn the signs from a native deaf signer would create a bigger impact than you can even think of. It has been proven that learning sign language is equivalent to any spoken language. I believe in #InclusionwithISL–learning sign language is being inclusive. I can highlight about 25 places—banks, colleges, airports, etc., the list is never ending—that are not accessible to the deaf community. How can you help make these places more accessible? Our advice is, if more people learn the basic ISL, multiple doors can open where millions of deaf people can have access to daily information and truly feel included. If you support Inclusion, then it starts with you learning our language! Metaphorically, to build a bridge between two communities to become more inclusive is to simply learn ISL by deaf experts in our community. It is useful and will bring a new flavour to your life."
-DR. ALIM CHANDANI (44), consultant for Hear A Million Project, an initiative by Enable India
"Earlier, when my son [who is deaf] would try and talk to me, I would not be able to understand what he would try to communicate with me. Now that I am learning sign language, I find it extremely easy to convey my thoughts to him and can even understand what he is trying to express. Communication with him has only become better because of me knowing sign language."
-ANITA (31), student at the Indian Sign Language Research And Training Centre
"I think sign language is innate to human beings as before spoken languages, how do you think we all communicated? The hearing and speaking people often tend to disregard the person and the message. Sign language is unique, it makes us think differently. Also, since sign language is a visual language, it promotes inclusion. We can learn so much from the deaf community—things like eye contact, being receptive to body language and emotions, and, of course, sign language."
-SAURAV ROY (33), Sign Language Interpreter, Association of Sign Language Interpreters