STS celebrates International Day of Sign Languages and fully supports the UN’s resolution acknowledging the importance of early access to quality education in sign language for learners around the world.
As part of this commitment, STS has collaborated with international development and local partners to develop and administer sign language assessments for early-grade learners in Moroccan Sign Language, Filipino Sign Language, Nepali Sign Language, and Rwandan Sign Language. Through these assessments–‐the first of their kind in each respective country—governments and implementing partners have established an understanding of learners’ sign language vocabulary and comprehension skills, providing valuable insights into how teachers can better support the language development of their Deaf learners.
“Access to sign language is essential for students who are deaf to learn to read and receive a quality education,” shares STS’s senior technical advisor Kristina Solum. “STS believes inclusive assessments are critical to ensure education systems understand the need to promote and use sign language as the language of instruction in classrooms with students who are deaf.”
“Assessing and measuring sign language knowledge and skills among deaf children, as well as teachers, is critically important so that they can build the language foundation they need in order to learn to read so that they can read to learn.”
Josh Josa, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility Strategist at USAID
To learn more about STS’s work developing and administering sign language assessments, check out some of our recent work.
Project Report
Developed as part of the ACR GCD Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning Project
Adaptation Workshop
Developed as part of the ACR GCD Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning Project
Instrument Design
Developed as part of the ACR GCD Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning Project
Project Profile
Remote EGRA for Learners who are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing
Prototype developed for USAID in partnership with RTI International and Resources for the Blind, Inc.
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