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The Autism School at the Thiruvananthapuram-based Center for Autism and other Disabilities Rehabilitation Research and Education (CADDRE) has launched a video tutorial series on Indian Sign Language to mark the International Day of Sign Languages on Wednesday.
The videos will be available at the CADRRE YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7U3r2l3wmq3MEr558JZR825YYBOTAUvV, which have been curated under the guidance of Renuka VN, a PhD in Social Work and an MA in Linguistics with a diploma in Sign Language Interpreting.
She is a sign language professional and freelance interpreter who has a passion for social work and has been involved with the deaf community in India for the last 20 years, a spokesperson for CADDRE said here on Wednesday.
Audio, subtitles, demo
Though these tutorials are being developed for parents to teach Indian Sign Language to children with autism, these easy 10-minute videos that come with audio, subtitles and demonstration of words will be a great resource to anyone who wishes to learn the basics of Indian Sign Language.
Animated graphic symbols better engage the attention of children with autism than the static graphic symbols normally used as teaching aids. “Here, we go one step further by using videos, wherever possible, of children demonstrating the words whose signs are being taught,” the spokesperson said.
In a country with 28 national languages and thousands of regional dialects, recognising the importance of a national sign language is pivotal to our society to ensure the growth and progress of not just the deaf, but also people with autism and other developmental disabilities for whom the spoken language is difficult to master, the spokesperson added.
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Autism Spectrum Disorder is an umbrella term for a broad group of developmental disorders that affect sensory input, behaviour and communication. Individuals with autism are often referred to as “being on the spectrum” because ASD covers a wide range – or spectrum – of symptoms, skill sets, and levels of disability.
Like deafness, autism is many a times an invisible disability, though children and adults with autism often have a hard time communicating and face difficulty with social interactions. Many children with autism may never fully develop the ability to communicate effectively through words.
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