The Recognition of Sign Languages
Welcome to the website for the Legal Recognition of Sign Languages project at the Birmingham School of Law, University of Birmingham.
Overview
Project Details
The Legal Recognition of Sign Languages Project (LRSL) is a project which looks at how laws about sign language in Ireland, Finland and across the UK impact Deaf people and sign language users.
Through interviews with Deaf people in Ireland, Finland and the UK, we have asked Deaf people what they think of the law, what the law has changed and how the law could be made better.
Project Goals
The goal of this work is to create a roadmap which can be used by Deaf Activists, Deaf Organisations and law makers when they are making law to protect sign language or improving laws that already exist.
Contributors
The research is led by the lived experiences of Deaf people. We are grateful to all those who have contributed to the research so far and look forward to publishing the research findings soon.
Sign Language Videos
Content is available here about the project in Irish Sign Language, British Sign Language, Finnish Sign Language and Finland Swedish Sign Language.
Sign Language deserves to be legally recognised.
Project Timeline
Through interviews with Deaf people in Ireland, Finland and the UK, we have asked Deaf people what they think of the law, what the law has changed and how the law could be made better.
Interviews
28 Deaf people across Ireland, Finland and the United Kingdom have been interviewed. The interviewing stage is now completed.
Data Analysis
Data analysis is currently ongoing. Semi-structured interview data is being compared and common themes are being extracted to understand how interview participants felt about the law.
Roadmap
The roadmap will be created as an accessible tool to provide activists, organisations and lawmakers with data to show how to effectively legislate for sign language protection.
Interested in taking part?
We are no longer conducting interviews. However, please contact us if you wish to learn more about the project.