SIGN LANGUAGE

Being Deaf means not being able to hear. Most of us were born deaf or lost our hearing at an early age. That is why we use a visual language, Sign. Sign Language is our mode of direct communication, as is speech for the hearing. Now a days, Sign Language is used by many hand-of-hearing people, too.

The Council provides a sports culture for members of this language minority to meet. Of course, we deaf sportsmen and our organization thrive best in settings where Deaf culture prevails and Sign Language is used by all.

Each Country has its own Sign Language. Thanks to similarities in the grammatical structure of all signed languages, however, deaf people from different countries can understand each other fairly well. This is because many structural and grammatical features of Sign Languages are universal.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DEAF AND HEARING SPORTS?

Some of the Practical Differences are: Communication between players. Deaf players can not shout things like Pass it here! or Over here! Or Watch your back! Or Behind you! to each other. Whistle blowing does not help. Referees must get players attention by other means than blowing a whistle. Not being able to hear can affect player performance in games like Table-Tennis or Badminton where the sound of the racket or paddle striking the ball or birdie tells how hard a hit it is. Deaf players can not be goaded on by roars or hear cheers from the Crowds. A Deaf player has to look around to determine his and other players is position on the field.

GAME MODIFICATIONS:

Loud speakers must be replaced or complemented by screened lettering or Sign Language. Start pistols should be replaced by a Flash of Light. Where hearing people can use their ears, Deaf people need to use their eyes. The Hearing respond to sounds, where the Deaf need visual signals and sign language communication.

Through a Sign Language Interpreter, Deaf players can join in on Hearing sports. A deaf member of a Hearing team needs an interpreter to talk to his teammates: discuss technique and tactics or just socialize with the other players.

An Interpreter can be called in for all situations were signers and non-signers need to communicate. Good Interpreter services are essential to full participation. THE TERM SPORTS FOR THE DISABLED When discussing Sports for the Disabled in General, as opposed to Deaf Sports Specifically, these terms will be used.

The Groups referred to by these terms have requested that the term Sports for the Disabled replace he term Handicap Sports in the terminology of National Sports Federations and the National Olympic Committee. The reason for this is to harmonize with the officials terms used internationally and to avoid misunderstandings. The term Handicap Sports has been used, inaccurately, to mean both sports for the Physically Handicapped and for the Deaf.

To clarify, National Federation of Handicap Sports and National Federation of Deaf remain separate organizations and sports events. The term Sports for the Disabled is the blanket term which includes Deaf sports. To avoid misunderstandings it should be used when referring to all sports for the Disabled.

The Common name for Sports for the physically handicapped and the Deaf should be Sports for the Disabled. This name should be used by Governmental Agencies, the National Federation of Sports and the National Olympics Committee to specify the group referred to in financial discussions and for purposes of information. I.e. the National Federation of Sports for the Physically Handicapped or the National Federation of Deaf Sports: Two separate Associations.

For purposes of university and other education the terms sports for the Physically Handicapped and Sports for the deaf should be used separately.