The Doncaster College for the Deaf was invited to contribute the English sign to the Swedishled sign language website, which will help people bridge communication gaps for people wishing to travel overseas to work.
The ‘Spread the Sign’ website was devised at the Tullangsskolan College in Orebro, Sweden and includes five other founder countries; UK, Spain, Portugal, Czech Republic and Lithuania.
The cutting edge reputation of the Doncaster college meant it was selected to research and provide 500 construction signs and 200 common language signs to help tradesmen and workers get to grips with English sign language before they arrive.
Derek Morris, the programme manager for the scheme at the Doncaster College for the Deaf, said: “Spread the Sign offers a fantastic opportunity for people with hearing and communication problems to break down boundaries and enrich their quality of life.
“It levels the playing field in the way people can visit the website and learn the correct signs for the country they are visiting and can communicate effectively in language specific to their vocation. It offers equal opportunities for people with communication breakdown.”
The Doncaster college hopes to trial the scheme in September when construction workers from three of the partner countries will be exchanged to try out the signs from the online toolkit.
“The trial run in September will help us identify the strengths and weaknesses of the vocabulary available on the site and will be a great experience for the people who go. Obviously, much of the signs are specific to the various vocations but the site also displays common, every day signs that can help away from the workplace as well.”
Experts from the participating countries are in the process of researching and filming the correct signs which will be uploaded onto the website giving visitors to the site a demonstration of the particular words.
The two-year initiative is supported by the European Union and funded by the Leonardo da Vinci programme, a programme that makes up part of the European Commission’s Lifelong Learning Programme aimed at building a skilled European workforce and improving the provisions of vocational education and training across the continent.
Plans are being formulated to expand the programme into the rest of Europe in line with the structure of the EU creating equal opportunities for deaf workers on a greater scale.
Contact Derek Morris, the scheme’s programme manager on 01302 386760 or Alan Robinson, Principal on 01302 386700 or Helen Todhunter on 01302 386700.
