The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment and Tribal Affairs (SJETA), Government of Arunachal Pradesh, organised a three-day Sign Language Training Workshop to promote accessibility and inclusive communication for persons with hearing and speech impairment.
The workshop was held in collaboration with the Composite Regional Centre for Skill Development, Rehabilitation and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (CRCSRE), Guwahati, under the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India.
The workshop was conducted for government officials from various departments, school teachers (both general and special educators), parents and guardians, and children with hearing and speech impairment, with the objective of strengthening communication skills and fostering an inclusive society.
Kento Jini, Minister for Law and Justice, Sports and Youth Affairs, and Social Justice and Empowerment, attended the programme as the Chief Guest.
Addressing the participants, the Minister emphasised the importance of sign language in bridging communication gaps and ensuring equal opportunities for persons with disabilities. He highlighted the need to build trained human resources in sign language to meet the growing demand in the state.
The key objectives of the workshop included equipping hearing and speech impaired individuals and their parents with effective communication skills, providing interested citizens with an opportunity to learn sign language and obtain certification, and developing a pool of qualified sign language interpreters for professional career opportunities.
The programme also aimed at increasing awareness about the needs and challenges faced by the hearing and speech impaired community.
The training sessions focused on practical and interactive learning methods to help participants understand basic sign language and inclusive communication practices.
The initiative marks a significant step towards reducing communication barriers and promoting accessibility and inclusion across Arunachal Pradesh.
