Hiring deaf IS interpreters models international competency to the deaf community, provides jobs, demonstrates human rights, and connects the deaf community across the world. As you hire more deaf people, the community has to build their skills to match the demand in this market. They then feed deaf from developing countries with role models on how to access communication that connects them to the rest of the world. They gain access to funding that lifts them out of the poverty cycle, builds global competence, and supports development efforts.

Deaf people have long been left out of international exchange and conversations because of the high costs of interpreting. Hiring deaf interpreters for your events is one of the lowest cost ways to begin to change that dynamic.

Ironically, most deaf people are already highly skilled in managing two cultures through interpreters, deaf and hearing. With more access and exposure to international opportunities, they may lend us all greater insight on language access and boundaries. Hiring deaf interpreters for your events is one of the lowest cost ways to begin to change that dynamic.

As you work to justify the budget for sign language interpreters, perhaps you might suggest this budgetary line item as an investment in international development as a whole and to the deaf community specifically, rather than only an investment in access generally.

Here is a map of the linguistic roots of sign languages across the world: Tegnsprogenes Stamtræ (Text is in Danish with flags.)

Brief History of Signed Languages and Their Spread.

Article – 9 Access (United Nations: Division for Social Policy and Development Disability)

1. To enable persons with disabilities to live independently and participate fully in all aspects of life, States Parties shall take appropriate measures to ensure to persons with disabilities access, on an equal basis with others, to the physical environment, to transportation, to information and communications, including information and communications technologies and systems, and to other facilities and services open or provided to the public, both in urban and in rural areas….

2. States Parties shall also take appropriate measures:

e) To provide forms of live assistance and intermediaries, including guides, readers and professional sign language interpreters, to facilitate accessibility to buildings and other facilities open to the public;…

The World Federation of the Deaf provides further guidelines and resources for the international deaf community.

The Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf provides the standards deaf interpreters must meet.

From the World Association of Sign Language Interpreters (WASLI)

The European Union of the Deaf provides a more in-depth explanation of International Sign (IS).