2019 International Day of Sign Languages

eKitabu celebrates the 2019 International Deaf Awareness Week through Studio KSL, an eKitabu innovation that develops accessible Early Grade reading materials in Kenyan Sign Language (KSL). We integrate Sign Language videos in Early Grade readers producing digital visual storybooks to Support Sign Language acquisition, Vocabulary and building communication skills as a pathway to literacy for Deaf children

Studio KSL is brought to you by eKitabu and Phase I and II prize winner of the Sign On For Literacy global prize competition, led by All Children Reading: A Grand Challenge for Development (ACR GCD) Partners the United States Agency for International Development (USAID, World Vision, and the Australian Government). It was prepared by eKitabu, LLC and does not necessarily reflect the views of the ACR GCD Partners

The UN General Assembly has proclaimed 23 September 2019 as the International Day of Sign Languages in order to raise awareness on the importance of Sign Language in the full realization of the human rights of people who are Deaf. This year’s theme is “Sign Language Rights for All” and emphasizes the important role Sign Languages play in the lives of Deaf persons to enable their inclusion in all spheres of life

The first International Day of Sign languages was celebrated in 2018 under the theme “With Sign Language, Everyone is Included!”

The resolution establishing the day acknowledges that early access to Sign Language and services in Sign Language, including quality education available in Sign Language, is vital to the growth and development of the deaf individual and critical to the achievement of the internationally agreed development goals. It recognizes the importance of preserving Sign Languages as part of linguistic and cultural diversity. It also emphasizes the principle of “nothing about us without us” in terms of working with Deaf communities

Source: eKitabu