PLEASE SUPPORT US
Signing Hands Foundation (SHF) is a Non-Profit Organisation that took great lengths to provide accessible education, support and awareness to the Deaf community in India. We would be highly appreciated if you could support us financially that would help in the sustainability of our operations and empower us further in providing accessibility for the Deaf Community.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach us.
A main project has been launched under Signing Hands Foundation:
ISH SHIKSHA
To promote education thus ensuring the well-being of the Deaf Community and enabling them to lead an independent life.
www.ishshiksha.com
ISH KIDS
With the focus on educating the Deaf children from 1 to 5 years old with different stories in accessible format.
The ongoing issue in the Deaf community
There are 18 million Deaf people in India according to Census 2011 (the number is likely to have tripled in 2021). Out of this population, 99% are uneducated and facing lots of difficulties because of the following reasons:
- Inadequate method of accessible education, which became worse during COVID-19 pandemic when the schools shifted to online video-conferencing.
- The inability of Deaf children to communicate in their hearing family and the community.
- The TV channels for News and Entertainment are broadcasted in spoken languages which are not understood by the Deaf people.
- Their limitations in knowledge resulted in issues with employment which further affected the growth in their style of living.
Solutions offered by SHF
- Produce different categories of educational videos in accessible format = ISL with voice overs and visual images carefully tailored for both Deaf and hearing children from 2 years old onward.
- Launching the basic Indian Sign Language courses for the hearing people with the mission of reducing the communication gap.
- Maintaining online education like English skills development, economics, bakery etc. to educate the Deaf.
- Producing more videos on confidence-building, moral stories, etc. to enlighten the Deaf community.
- Extending the support to Deaf schools to provide accessibility for the Deaf.
- Conducting the training workshops and seminars for the Deaf leaders from different parts of India.
How did we make a big positive change in the Deaf Community?
Since our aim is to provide 100% accessibility, all our videos include Indian Sign Language, the mother tongue of the Deaf Community, which is clearly understood by them.
We help not only the Deaf but also everyone who wishes to learn ISL, especially those who work with Deaf people such as the parents of Deaf children, teachers, employers, public service officers, etc.
We conduct basic and advanced English courses to improve the literacy levels for the Deaf people who were deprived of accessible education in their childhood.
We ensure “inclusion” by building a bridge between teachers and the students, regardless of their disabilities and providing the education in accessible format.
The stories for kids in ISL and voiceover ensured that Deaf as well as Hearing children are given equal access, thus creating an inclusive world for them.
The videos of ISH Kids gives the Deaf children a language acquisition in their early ages and build their confidence when interacting with their peers.
Many Deaf children build up their vocabulary skills in English and Indian Sign Language (ISL) combined after watching our channel.