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On 18 March, the government announced that it was formally (and finally!) recognising BSL as a language in its own right. It has also allocated £1 million funding for initiatives to support the move. The British Deaf Association commented: 'There is still a long way to go before equality is achieved, but this is a milestone achievement for the Deaf community.'
About 70,000 people in the UK use BSL as their first or preferred language. Potential benefits of official recognition could include:
• Better access to information, services, education, employment and justice, with greater provision of interpreters.
• The adoption of BSL as a mainstream curriculum subject. More hearing people would learn BSL and take it as a GCSE examination subject. Deaf children in hearing schools would therefore fit in better, as there would be hearing pupils and teachers who could sign.
• Greater understanding and a general improvement in the attitude of hearing people towards the Deaf community.
This is what some of you had to say:
'It's about confidence, being involved – [a recognition that] signing is important.' Oliver Wilcox
'The recognition of BSL means the quality of life for deaf people will be much better.' Simon Miller
'It will affect all schools. Sign language will be on the curriculum. Children who learn BSL will now be able to communicate with deaf people.' Jane O'Brien
'I'm sure it will include newspapers, information, housing, individuals, committees, courts, social services. They will see that the policy says we have to be included.' Darren Blunt
'For four or five years we have been campaigning for recognition. Now it has happened, fantastic, but we can't rest. We have to continue our campaigns.' Louise Stratton
Find out more
Department for Work and Pensions press release
www.dwp.gov.uk/mediacentre/pressreleases/
2003/march/csd1803-sign.htm
BDA reaction and related information
www.britishdeafassociation.org.uk/news/
latest.php?id=76
There's a feature about the campaign for BSL recognition in the VEE-TV archive.