New campaign for Indonesian sign language<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A campaign to popularize the of use of sign
\nlanguage opened yesterday for the benefit of the deaf and mute.<\/p>\n
The Ministry of Education and Culture launched the first ever
\nBahasa Indonesia sign language which is expected to become the
\nstandard system to be used nationwide.<\/p>\n
Minister Wardiman Djojonegoro, during the book's launching
\nceremony, also appealed to state and private television networks
\nto start using sign language simultaneously in their news
\nbroadcast as part of the campaign.<\/p>\n
The appeal was quickly put into effect, at least by the state-
\nowned TVRI network, in its afternoon news broadcast yesterday. A
\ntranslator seated next to the broadcaster was seen 'translating'
\nthe spoken news into sign language.<\/p>\n
The government also plans to encourage ordinary schools to
\nadopt the language and start integrating deaf students. Currently
\nthese students go to special schools for the handicaps.<\/p>\n
The new dictionary, prepared by a team in the Ministry of
\nEducation and Culture, contains 1,900 words but officials said it
\nwould be expanded continuously.<\/p>\n
It was constructed around the American Sign Language which was
\nfirst introduced in Indonesia in 1979 by Mrs. Baron Sutadisastra
\nto replace the lip reading method which was commonly used in many
\nschools.<\/p>\n
The new sign language was superior because it adopted the
\nconcept of total communication, which also encompassed writing
\nand reading, for more effective communication.<\/p>\n
Sign language is now widely used at schools for handicaps in
\nmany parts of Indonesia but they each use different standards,
\nmostly following the American system.<\/p>\n
Wardiman said the book would allow handicapped people to have
\nthe same opportunities to get an education, especially now that
\nthe government is aggressively promoting the nine-year compulsory
\nschooling.<\/p>\n
\"This will help handicapped get an education and broaden their
\nperspectives\" he said in the speech which was translated into
\nsign language by Iin Masliah, a teacher from Zinniya school for
\nthe handicaps in South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Zinniya and many other similar schools have developed their
\nown sign languages and taught it to teachers, pupils, their
\nrelatives and friends to promote communication with the deaf.<\/p>\n
Last year, the Directorate General for Basic Education of the
\nMinistry of Education and Culture began the work to produce a
\nstandard dictionary.<\/p>\n
Director of Basic Education Djauzak Achmad said the first
\ncopies of the dictionary would be sent out to libraries and
\nschools for the handicaps all over Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Djauzak said the ministry will start encouraging more state
\nschools to open its doors to the deaf and mute.<\/p>\n
\"The handicap students will be helped by special instructors,
\nand the ministry will train them. Hopefully this year there will
\nbe mixed schools in every province,\" he said. Currently, such
\nmixed schools already exist in certain cities in Java, Jambi, and
\nLampung.<\/p>\n
One of the members of the team that produced the dictionary is
\ndeaf, to give the other team members a chance gauge the
\neffectiveness of the new sign language in practice.<\/p>\n
Diah Pitaloka graduated from the School of Literature of the
\nUniversity of Indonesia majoring in French literature. He on hand
\nto explain her experience to reporters yesterday.<\/p>\n
\"I had to ask for a special tutor when I was in school,
\nbecause I could not follow the course in the language laboratory.
\nTo communicate I read lips,\" Diah said when asked how she managed
\nto study in the university. She graduated from SMA 70 high school
\nin South Jakarta before entering the university.<\/p>\n
She said that she cannot speak using sign language but was
\neager to learn because it could be useful and easier to
\ncommunicate with other people. (01)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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