It has been estimated that India has the largest number of hearing impaired people in the world. Sign language is their natural language. With this in mind and in order to prepare future sign language teachers, interpretertrainers and sign language resource persons for schools of the hearing impaired, Ignou (Indira Gandhi National Open University) — in collaboration with the University of Central Lancashire, UK — offers a three-year programme — Bachelor of Arts in Applied Sign Language Studies (BAASLS). Another programme offered by Ignou is the Bachelor’s Preparatory Programme for Deaf Students (BPPDS) which is essentially a one-year preparatory course for students wishing to enter the BAASLS course, but who do not have sufficient English Language or study skills.

“The number of hearing impaired people in India is about eight million. There are only 550 schools for them. One out of every 10 of these children goes to school and 50% of them drop out at the age of 13. Only 25 schools offer higher secondary education,” says Michael W Morgan, senior consultant with BAASLS, Ignou.

He continues, “Starting in 2001, the National Institute for the Hearing Handicap has initiated courses for training interpreters of Indian sign language . A number of NGOs around the country have likewise started teaching literacy through sign language . With the growing demand for teachers of Indian sign language, there is a shortage of qualified people to fill those positions . Students who complete the BAASLS programme will be well placed to do exactly that.”

The BAASLS course teaches students the basics of linguistics of sign languages, applied linguistics like peer mentoring, first and second language acquisition, bi-lingualism , literacytraining and fundamentals of interpreting, among others.

See: Times of India