The Indonesia's First Virtual Best Practices Sharing Program on Sign Language Literation

Contributed by : Moehammad Amar Ma’ruf/Career Diplomat of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia

On March 22 2024, activity for the Promotion of Indonesia’s Best Experience in the field of Sign Language Literacy was carried out online for the first time at the forum of the Islamic Cooperation Organization/OIC Subsidiary Body, namely the Islamic University for Technology/IUT which is headquartered in the City of Ghaziabad-Dhaka-Bangladesh. This online promotional activity was attended by a number of students taking Engineering study programs at undergraduate and graduate levels attended by at least 89 participants whose nationality are coming from a number of OIC countries, namely; Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Comoros, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast/Ivory Coast, Nigeria and Bangladesh.

The activity was opened by the Dean of the IUT Engineering Faculty, Prof. Shamsudeen Ahmed and guided by Ir. Imrul Keyes and Ir. Rouhan also featured a number of speakers from Indonesia consisting of the Head of LPMQ-Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, Dr. Abdul Aziz Sidqi, accompanied by a representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Br. Amar Makruf) who also acts as the author of articles related to Strengthening the Promotion of Sign Language Literacy, along with a number of Teams for Preparing Guidelines for Reading Mushaf Al-Qur’an for People with Deaf and Speech Sensory Disabilities (PDSRW) and a number of leaders/administrators of the Indonesian Deaf Muslim Association/ATMI, most of whom are Sign Language experts and foreign language translators (Arabic and English).

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At the opening of the activity for Disseminating Indonesia’s Best Experience in the Field of Sign Language for People with Deaf and Speech Sensory Disabilities, Prof. Shamsudeen Ahmad/IUT Senior Lecturer, as the host stated as follows: a) The activity entitled: Sharing Indonesia Best Practices on Sign Language Literacy for the Deaf” is the first activity held by the IUT Faculty of Engineering together with Indonesia; b) This activity is seen as a breakthrough to overcome the problems found in the world community related to mainstreaming education for all, especially for people with Deaf and Speech Sensory Disabilities (deaf) by utilizing pedagogical and technical/technological aspects of the problem. social society in the world; c) The activity is expected to open the door to information for the creation of opportunities for joint study activities on the role of the engineering sector in helping to increase accessibility for people with Deaf and Speech Sensory Disabilities, both in Bangladesh and in OIC member countries; d) Indonesia’s willingness to be a resource person on the above theme provides an opportunity for IUT students from various OIC member countries to explore Indonesia’s experience regarding Providing and Teaching Sign Language Literacy and the Use of Technology that has been carried out in Indonesia; e) It is hoped that this step can encourage the creation of a revolution for the empowerment of all elements of society in various fields, including of course people with Deaf and Speech Sensory Disabilities.

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In the presentation session, representatives from Lajnah Pentashih Mushaf Qurán-Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia explains regarding as follows : a) Background and Theological and Philosophical Basis for the Publication of the First Mushaf of the Qur’an in Indonesia with transcription of the first sign code; b) This manuscript of the Qur’an Sign was written by transcribing each letter into a sign code along with its harakat/punctuation code so that it can apply UNIVERSALLY; c) LPMQ as a center for studying and interpreting mushaf in Indonesia also opens training activities for all groups; d) The implementation of the Qur’an Reading Guide using the required language method has been socialized to a number of public and religious schools; e) The use of digital technology has been carried out by publishing the Sign Mushaf in digital format and the application can be downloaded on the Play Store at the address: Qurán Ministry of Religion; and f) LPMQ together with ATMI are open to discussing whether IUT needs teaching experts and also discussing the possibility of studying the use of technology to further increase accessibility for related parties (teachers, people with Deaf and Speech Sensory Disabilities and other related communities)

During this session also explains about publication of a Tutorial for Learning Mushaf Qurán Signs which can be accessed through the Ministry of Religion’s Qurán, the application of which can be downloaded via the Play Store or Appstore. The team also provided an explanation to the seminar participants about how to find this application on smartphones.

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After at least two hours presentation, all participants expressing their highest appreciation for Indonesia resource persons and emphasized that the importance to strengthen accessibility for persons with Speech Sensory Disabilities (Deaf), through pedagogical strengthening and reviewing the use of appropriate application tools for related parties. Persons with Deaf and Speech Sensory Disabilities (PDSRW) and their interlocutors). It makes some participants show their enthusiasm to find out how far Indonesia has mastered the use of technology for this issue and the level of resistance to the use of signal code transcription.

The above curiosities have been answered with quite confidence by Indonesia resource person by explaining that so far not found any problems in terms of accuracy of interpretation, because what was done in compiling the Mushaf Reading Guidelines for PDSRW was not interpreting the verses, but only coding the writing into signs so that it is universally applicable. The Ministry of Religion always open to make efforts in developing and modernizing existing applications/tools to suit the need of the related stakeholders.

At the end of this seminar the IUT leaders expressed their highest appreciation for this activity and consider to deepen their institute engagement in enhancing promotion of the Sign Language Literation in their country and for their native countries of the participants. (AK/RE1/P2)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)