Towards a National Sign Language in Vanuatu

Area of Science:

• Linguistics
• Deaf Studies
• Sociolinguistics

Background:

• Vanuatu currently lacks a national sign language, creating an evidence gap in deaf education.
• Most deaf children in Vanuatu are born into hearing families without sign language proficiency.
• Historically, deaf communities in Vanuatu have lacked dedicated spaces for language development and transmission.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report on the collaborative efforts to establish a national sign language in Vanuatu.
• To improve language access for the deaf population in Vanuatu.
• To facilitate the intergenerational transmission of sign language.

Main Methods:

• Building a corpus of signs used by deaf individuals across Vanuatu's provinces.
• Selecting signs from the corpus for inclusion in a national sign language dictionary.
• Disseminating selected signs to educators and disability associations for use in public schools.

Main Results:

• A multi-phase project is underway to document and standardize Vanuatu Sign Language.
• Efforts are focused on equipping educators to teach sign language in public schools.
• The project aims to create vital language resources and community hubs for the deaf.

Conclusions:

• Establishing a national sign language is crucial for the linguistic and social development of deaf children in Vanuatu.
• Providing access to sign language will empower future generations of deaf individuals.
• This initiative supports the creation of deaf community gathering places, essential for language and cultural continuity.