MoU Signed for converting educational materials into Indian Sign Language
New Delhi: In the childhood days, the cognitive skills of children are developed and it is very necessary to provide them educational material as per their learning needs. However, hearing impaired children used to study only through verbal or written medium, but now they can also access educational resources with the availability of NCERT textbooks in Indian Sign Language.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to this effect was signed today between Indian Sign Language Research and Training Center-ISLRTC (a National Institute of Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) under Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment) and National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT -a National Institute of Ministry of Education).
As part of this MoU, educational print materials such as NCERT Textbooks, Teachers Handbook and other Supplementary materials and resources of Class I-XII of all subjects of both Hindi and English Medium will be converted into Indian Sign Language in Digital format. It will not only enhance vocabulary of hearing impaired children but also enhance their capabilities to understand concepts.
Also read: 72 million deaf people use 300 different sign languages!
“It will be a useful and much needed resource for Hearing Impaired students, teachers, teacher educators, parents and the Hearing Impaired community, which in turn will have a huge impact on the education of Hearing Impaired children in the country,” Dr. Thaawarchand Gehlot, Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, said, and added that this MoU was a step towards achieving common goal of fulfilling needs of Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPWD) Act, 2016 and New Education Policy, 2020.
Union Minister for Education Ramesh Pokhariyal ‘Nishank’, explained that converting NCERT educational materials in to Indian sign language would ensure educational standardization of Indian Sign Language as mandated in the New Education Policy (NEP), 2020.
– globalbihari bureau
