This season, make a difference by learning sign language for a loved one or gifting the opportunity to someone in need; it’s a gift that keeps on giving.
South Africa (13 December 2021) – Communication is vital, and sign language is just as important as any spoken language. It bridges the gap for people with hearing difficulties and creates a much more equal society.
DEAFinition, a non-profit company that provides a range of services and funding opportunities to promote equal access for the Deaf community of South Africa, encourage the public to consider giving the gift of language this festive season.
They have launched a course available to the public to teach sign language basics. It is the perfect gift for yourself and the deaf community.
“We have recently launched an online course offering a basic introduction to South African Sign Language (SASL) at a nominal cost of only R250 per person. The training is self-paced, allowing you to work through the content at your leisure. The link to the training is available for a month from date of purchase and on conclusion you are able to download a certificate of completion. This course is aimed at anyone who is interested in learning more about the Deaf community, their culture, and SASL signs to support everyday conversations,” explains Shubnum Nabbi-Maharaj, DEAFinition Director.
The course was created by eDEAF, a proudly Deaf led organisation that offers training courses and learnership programs to empower Deaf communities for business. The SASL online course is aimed at people aged sixteen years and older and consists of six easy-to-navigate modules and a short completion exam. It is available through the DEAFintion website: www.deafinition.co.za
“People are welcome to purchase a course for themselves or give the course as a gift to someone else,” adds Nabbi-Maharaj.
Another ground-breaking milestone that DEAFinition has been instrumental in, is the development of an easily accessible SASL App that was officially launched in September this year. The SASL App is free and is available to download via Google Play and The App Store.
“The goal of this App is to bridge the communication gap between Deaf and the hearing by allowing people to simply search for a word or specific phrase on any mobile device that has the free App installed,” explains Nabbi-Maharaj.
The Deaf community is one of the most marginalised groups in South Africa due to the fact that they cannot communicate freely with the hearing world.
“Let’s collectively strive towards eliminating communication barriers and consider giving the gift of language this festive season,” concludes Nabbi-Maharaj.
Purchase the basic introduction to SASL course here: www.deafinition.co.za and download the free SASL App via Google Play and The App Store using these QR codes:
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