DEVELOPING CAMBODIAN SIGN LANGUAGE

OBJECTIVE

Support the development of a comprehensive Cambodian Sign Language, essentially implemented by Cambodian deaf people, rooted in the local culture

PROJECT

In the absence of a formalized sign language, Krousar Thmey decided in 1997 to adapt American Sign Language. In parallel, another organization, the Deaf Development Program, pursued the same goal. In 2013, the two organizations decided to join forces to create a common Cambodian sign language. As a result, a Sign Language Committee (SLC) was created with the responsibility of documenting and creating signs.

To help the committee members in their task, several training on linguistics of sign language, research for signs or production of adapted resources are regularly organized. The committee is continuing its documentation work in local communities and is collecting new signs on appropriate platforms to support the dissemination of the Cambodian Sign Language in the country.

ACTIVITIES

Capacity building and training of committee members and specialized teachers
Search and documentation of signs
Development of dissemination tools based on new technologies
Sign language courses for communities

HOB Engchoug, member of the Sign Language Committee since 2013

Everything begins by looking for signs currently existing or creating new ones. It’s a real teamwork; to decide whether a sign is appropriate or not, first we need to understand the concept we are trying to express. To this end, our ‘hearing’ colleagues are of great help to us. From their explanations, we create the most appropriate sign, which will be easily
understood by all.

Read his story

Cambodia’s deaf community faces many challenges: the first of them is the difficulty to communicate, due to uneven knowledge of the sign language. Few people have access to it, or to a non-formalized version, which leads to many misunderstandings. That is why the work of the Committee is essential. The other major problem is the difficulty of teaching to deaf or hard-of-hearing people. This requires using other communication channels, such as images or writing. New technologies are a great opportunity: they can be of great help for communicating. Various projects are under way, such as the creation of a specialized dictionary, accessible on computer or smartphone. This will work towards bringing down deaf people isolation, improving the quality of their relations with others and the education they can get will be greatly improved

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Area of work: Education for deaf or blind children

Duration: 2018-2019

Location: Provnces of Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Battambang, Kampong Cham, Kampot

Beneficiaries : people with hearing impairment throughout the country, communities, specialized teachers

Back to the list of projects of the Education for deaf or blind children program

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