Straight answers

Helen Keller once saidthat blindness isolates one from things but deafness isolates one from people.If she was around today, she would have rejoiced to know SMS is helping manydeaf connect with other people. E-mail is another communication boon. Many of myclose deaf friends keep in regular touch with me and I with them through SMS ande-mail.Learning a new languagemeans getting a fresh perspective on one''s own language and culture and ameaningful intellectual exercise to better appreciate the language and customsof another linguistic group. Also, we have a responsibility to promote a societythat is disabled-friendly. A sizeable number of hearing people from thecorporate sector communicating in sign language can work towards breaking thepresent hesitation to accept qualified deaf into the workforce. Sign languagecommunicators in the field of education can mean more meaningful learning forthe deaf.Just asthere is no uniform language for the hearing throughout India or for that matterglobally, there is no uniform language for the deaf either. Just as learninganother language has helped many hearing people acquire a wider communicationrange, so also many deaf people are learning and using Indian and American signlanguage.