The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has signed an MoU with the Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC) to make textbooks and other educational material accessible for deaf children in sign language.

‘The availability of NCERT textbooks in Indian Sign Language (ISL) will ensure that hearing-impaired children can also now access educational resources and it will be a useful and much-needed resource for teachers, teacher educators, parents and the hearing-impaired community,’ said Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Thawar Chand Gehlot as reported by Hindustan Times.

According to officials, the cognitive skills of children are developed in childhood and it is important to provide them with educational material as per their learning needs.

‘So far, hearing-impaired children used to study only through a verbal or written medium but after the signing of this MoU, they can study through a single Indian Sign Language also. It will not only enhance their vocabulary but also enhance their capabilities to understand concepts,’ said secretary Shakuntala Gamlin.

The ISLRTC is an autonomous national institute of the social justice and empowerment ministry, which is dedicated to developing manpower for popularising the use of Indian Sign Language, teaching and conducting research.

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed in the virtual presence of Gehlot and Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’.

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