Communication barrier is one of the main problems holding many deaf people back. Living in an inclusive world—the world that comprises people of many differences, one has got to know the others better in order to get along together. That can only be achieved through effective communication. Unfortunately however, due to communication barriers, many people have immensely misunderstood. Some see them as stupid, insane, mad etcetera.
Communication barrier has brought assorted challenges that not exclusively affect the personal achievement of the deaf but also their educational, spiritual and economic development.
Due to this barrier, many among the deaf experience loneliness, depression and isolation at home because they have no one to communicate with as most of the family members don’t know how to communicate with them.
In many tertiary institutions, deaf students face a lot of challenges that interfere with their studies. Many of these institutions do not offer special services like sign language interpreters. Consequently, those students more often sit in the class watching helplessly as their lecturers interact with other fellow students.
Deaf people also face immense challenges when it comes to employment. Many organisations and companies find it difficult to employ deaf people to work with them due to this barrier. This is why many deaf persons have automatically been disqualified during job interviews in spite of the fact that they have met all other requirements.
Although the current administration has enacted a law that prohibits discriminating against people with disability, thanks to their bid for inclusion; it has failed to do away with the underlying causes of discrimination.
In order to nip the deaf-based discrimination in the bud, Sign Language should be introduced as a core curriculum subject into all schools to remove the communication barrier.
This will not only improve the communication gap between the deaf and their hearing counterparts but also bring an end to the discrimination and stigma they have been experiencing and create a comfortable environment for them to live in this inclusive world.
Ibrahim Tukur is a 400 level student, of Bayero University, Kano
