A sign language course, designed by the Disability Unit (DU) at Stellenbosch University (SU), is aiming to give a platform for students and staff to learn about South African Sign Language (SASL) and deaf culture.
The SASL course, which runs from 21 September to 16 October, takes place on Microsoft Teams and is exclusively available to SU students and staff, said Luigia Nicholas, the sign language workshop facilitator and Disability Unit’s student assistant.
About 150 people registered for the course, Nicholas said.
“We need to bridge the gap for sign language users to communicate with non-sign language users, and to educate students and staff on deaf culture and the importance of sign language,” said Nicholas.
The DU realised that the move to online will allow participants to have freedom throughout the course, as they have access to the material at their most convenient times, said Nicholas.
According to Nicholas, SASL is important because it gives everyone the opportunity to engage better with deaf speakers.
According to Nicholas, SU has also dedicated the year 2020 as the Year for Persons with Disability.
“[T]he hope is for 2020 to be the benchmark in our continued journey towards a more accessible campus,” she said.
Leonard van Wyk, a student at SU, is taking the course because he feels that communication is the key to all opportunities. He wants to learn as many ways to converse and understand people.
“I have no qualms with it being online. It’s just kind of difficult to remember all the moves, but seeing as it’s only introductory at the moment it’s a lot more convenient,” said Van Wyk.
It will be good for everyone to be able to have an understanding of sign language, said Wendy La Vita, founder and director of the nonprofit, Beautiful Life Training and Community Development Association, who is also taking the course. La Vita’s organisation works towards eradicating poverty by getting all sectors of society to work together.
It is important to be able to communicate with the deaf and to gain insight into their lives and the challenges they face, she said.
“I took the course as a refresher. I learned to sign many years ago when I worked at Noluthando School for the Deaf in Khayelitsha and it made a big difference being able to communicate with the deaf community,” said La Vita.
For those who wish to move to the next level of the sign language course in 2021, they would need to take the eight introductory lessons of the SASL course, said Nicholas. While it is no longer possible to join this year’s course, it would be available next year again.
