Austria | There
is no right for deaf or hearing impaired children to learn sign
language, either in mainstream or in special schools. The curriculum
for special schools for deaf or hearing impaired children, which
applies to children in mainstream as well as in special schools, still
emphasizes the importance of oral language ; sign language is just
considered an option or therapeutic exercise. There is a special
curriculum for special schools for blind children that applies to
children in mainstream as well as in special schools. Braille and the
use of technical aids are compulsory at all school levels. Lien : Curriculum for special schools for deaf children http://www.cisonline.at/fileadmin/k... Additional links : Curriculum for special schools for blind children http://www.cisonline.at/fileadmin/k... |
Belgium | The Flemish
Ministry of Education and Training supports pupils and students in
mainstream adult education through support in the provision of special
education means. These include Flemish sign language interpreters and
writing interpreters, translation in braille and large printing,
dyslexia software and digitalisation of textbooks. The French speaking
Community acknowledges sign language for the regular and special
education in the French speaking part of Belgium as an official
language in the Decree of October 22, 2003. Therefore the regional
governments support and subside but do not mandate the provision of
sign language and Braille in schools. Lien : Flemish Decree concerning equal chances in education (June 28, 2002) http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/edulex... Additional links : French speaking community and the Walloon Region http://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/cg... Decree of the French speaking Community concerning the acknowledgement of sign language http://www.fevlado.be/themas/gebare... |
Bulgaria | There is no reference to learning Braille or sign language in mainstream schools and no special provision to this end. Braille and sign language are subjects of teaching in special schools only. |
Cyprus | Children have the
right to learn Braille or sign language in mainstream schools. Children
can also learn Braille or sign language in the School for the Blind or
in the School for the Deaf. There is no specific legislation to
safeguard this. However, the Regulations for the Education of Children
with Special Needs Act of 1999 (Κ.Δ.Π. 186/2001) ensure that disabled
children are examined in ways that respect their communication needs
(e.g. change a written test into Braille language). Lien : Regulations for the Education of Children with Special Needs Act of 1999 (Κ.Δ.Π. 186/2001) http://www.moec.gov.cy/eidiki/nomot... |
Czech Republic | The law on sign
language, passed in 1998, confirmed its importance for the education of
pre-lingual deaf people and opened the way for the provision of
interpreting services for deaf pupils ; Section 7 gives deaf and
deaf-blind pupils the rights to learn and be taught in sign language.
Czech sign language has been codified by the 2008 amendment of the law
as the natural communication system for the deaf. The amendment also
establishes other communication systems for the deaf and for those
suffering from deaf blindness. Lien : Communication systems for the Deaf and Deaf-blind Act No. 384/2008 Coll. http://ruce.cz/clanky/506-zakon-o-k... |
Denmark | There is no right
to learn sign language or Braille in schools, but all pupils that need
it are given the opportunity. The Executive Order No. 1375, 15/12/2005
on public school education in sign language determines the subject’s
purpose and context and all students in pre-school, primary school and
10th class that, even with use of technical aids, have great
difficulties in obtaining secure communication using speech are offered
instruction in sign language. Teaching can take place in ordinary
schools, special schools or in regional training opportunities.
Teaching is a supplement to the public school subjects. Regional vision
consultants and a special school for blind children, Refsnćsskolen in
Kalundborg, take care of all blind children receiving instruction in
Braille. Lien : Executive Order No. 1375, 15/12/2005. http://www.emu.dk/gsk/specialunderv... Additional links : Danish blind society www.dkblind.dk |
Estonia | The Language Act
(Section1(3)), amended in 2007, gave the Estonian sign language
official national status. It states that Estonian sign language is an
independent language and a form of Estonian ; the state shall
(based on subsection 4) enhance the use and development of Estonian,
Estonian sign language and Estonian signed language. The number of
people using sign language in Estonia is approximately 2000 and these
people may be considered the core of the deaf community. The community
of people using sign language in Estonia in addition to sign-language
deaf people also includes their children who are not deaf, but whose
mother tongue it often is and also some of those who are hard of
hearing (the term ’deaf’ is used in a linguistic-cultural sense and not
in an audiological sense). Thus the concept includes users of sign
language of varying hearing status. The total number of regular users
of sign language in Estonia has been estimated in 2002 to be about
45,000. According to the Basic and Upper Secondary School Act (Section
30), schools have to enable access to studies for students with special
needs, among them with the need for using sign language and relevant
technologies. According to the Education Act Section 10, local
governments have to organise the conditions for studies of pupils with
special needs. The Ministry of Education and Research provides the means, modes and formats of communication that are necessary for studies (e.g. sign language, Braille, augmentative and alternative communication etc.). Additionally in 2011 the Development Plan of Estonian Language for 2011-2017 was adopted by the government and in the Action Plan activity no.10 is stated as the development of sign language. Among other actions it foresees development of school curricula in Estonian sign language and the education of sign language translators. Lien : Language Act http://www.legaltext.ee/et/andmebaa... Additional links : Education Act http://www.legaltext.ee/et/andmebaa... Basic and Upper Secondary Schools Act http://www.legaltext.ee/et/andmebaa... Development Plan of Estonian Language http://www.hm.ee/index.php?popup=do... Action Plan for development of Estonian language for 2011-2017 http://www.hm.ee/index.php?popup=do... |
Finland | Deaf and deaf-blind
persons have the right to education in sign-language. This kind of
teaching is organised in special classes or units of mainstream schools
(see Act on basic education). Special attention is focused on
culturally sensitive instruction. In an Action Programme on Disability
Policy sign language is awarded the status of a mother tongue for the
instruction of those who are deaf or deaf- blind. Furthermore, the
reading difficulties of persons with severe multiple disabilities in
all age groups and the individual life situations should be taken into
account in the design of the education. Lien : An Action Programme on Disability Policy - Education http://pre20031103.stm.fi/english/p... Additional links : Act on basic education (see especially § 10 (teaching language) : http://www.finlex.fi/fi/laki/ajanta... |
France | In article 75, the
Lawn° 2005-102 of 11 February 2005 introduces Article L 312-9-1 to
the Code of Education in order to officially recognise the French sign
language for persons with impaired hearing. Lien : Article L 312-9-1 Code of Education http://www.education.gouv.fr/cid521... |
Germany | There is no
legislation or regulation about the use of Braille or sign language in
mainstream schools. In 2010 a court verdict obliged public
administration to finance sign language interpretation for a deaf child
who wanted to visit a mainstream school. The interpretation service is
financed through the “Integration Support for Disabled People”
[Eingliederungshilfe für behinderte Menschen] as part of the social
assistance law regulated in the Social Code Book XII [Sozialgesetzbuch
XII]. Lien : Judgement of the Social Court of Frankfurt to take over the cost of a sign language interpreter in mainstream schools http://www.kestner.de/n/verschieden... |
Greece | Disabled pupils in
mainstream education are required to follow the mainstream curriculum,
which does not include teaching of Braille or sign language. However,
besides parallel support in a mainstream class, there is also the
option of attending inclusion classes running as part of a school unit
(not always available), where pupils can follow a more personalised
educational programme according to their needs (Law 3699/2008). Lien : Law 3699/2008 Special Education and Education of people with disabilities or special educational needs http://www.dsanet.gr/Epikairothta/N... |
Hungary | The right to use Braille in schools has not been regulated. |
Ireland | The key focus of
the Education of Persons with Special Educational Needs Act (EPSEN) is
the right to an appropriate education in an inclusive setting wherever
possible. Under the Equal Status Act 2000-2004, if an educational
establishment does not do all that is reasonable to accommodate a
student with a disability, this will amount to discrimination. However,
the educational establishment will not have to provide that
accommodation if it gives rise to more than a ’nominal cost’. The
provision of sign language and Braille will typically breach this
threshold. The State has a constitutional obligation to provide for
free primary education, which must be appropriate for the child’s
needs. However, this has been interpreted restrictively in O’Carolan v
The Minister for Education, and the subsequent test is not as to
whether the child is receiving ‘the best possible’ education but merely
whether the current educational provision for the child is appropriate.
To date, there has been no case-law regarding the right to learn
Braille or sign-language in mainstream schools in Ireland. Lien : Education of Persons with Special Educational Needs Act http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2004... Additional links : Equal Status Act, 2000 : http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/ZZA8... Equality Act 2004 : http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2004... |
Italy | We do not yet have information for this item |
Latvia | According to the
Law on General Education (1999) and relevant regulations, deaf and
blind students have rights to practical assistance (sign language
interpretation, Braille, etc.) in mainstream schools. Lien : The Law on General Education http://www.likumi.lv/doc.php?id=20243 |
Lithuania | Free services by
teacher assistant, reader, guide and sign language interpreter shall be
rendered to persons with special needs at educational institutions
according to the procedure established by the Government or an
institution authorised by it. (Law VIII-969 of 15 December 1998). Lien : Law on Special Education of 15 December 1998 http://www3.lrs.lt/pls/inter3/dokpa... |
Luxembourg | Braille (Eight-dot
Braille) is taught by the DVI (Institut pour Déficients Visuels -
Institute for blind and vision disabled children) in Luxembourg. This
institution was founded in 1975 to support children with visual
impairment in mainstream schools and adults in vocational training.
Sign language can be acquired at Daaflux, (Hearing Impaired,
Luxembourg), see also the Speech Therapy Centre. According to the
Accommodation Act (2011) in mainstream schools educational tests or
exams have to be adapted and if necessary be transcripted in Braille
(embossed printing). Lien : Visually Impaired Luxembourg http://www.lowvision.lu/index.php?o... Additional links : Hearing Impaired Luxembourg http://www.daaflux.lu/ Speech Therapy Centre http://www.logopedie.lu/ |
Malta | While disabled children do have the right to learn sign language and Braille, it is not part of the curriculum as there are too few sign language or Braille teachers to cater for the whole school population. |
Netherlands | In 1990 all schools
and institutions for the Deaf decided to teach bilingually : both
Dutch language and Dutch Sign language. Students who are deaf are
entitled to a sign language interpreter when they attend a regular
school. Students who are blind are taught Braille. Blind students in
regular or special schools for the blind receive a wide range of
technical support such as a Braille reader to read computer documents
or a daisy reader and daisy spoken books. Extra personal assistance can
be granted in school or workplace (for up to 10% of work time) to
provide extra support. Provisions for support in schools are provided
based on the Act on Reintegration of Labour-disabled 2005 (Wet Werk en
Inkomen naar Arbeidsvermogen). Lien : Dutch Foundation for Sign language http://www.gebarencentrum.nl/uitleg... Additional links : Act on Reintegration of Labour-disabled http://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR00190... |
Poland | Poland adopted the
Act of 19 August 2011 on sign language and other means of communication
(Journal of Law 2011, No. 209, item 1243), which is fully effective
from 1 April 2012. However, this legislation does not refer to the
education system. The Ministry of Education provides funds for adapting
school textbooks and other texts in Braille. The books are published on
the official website of the Ministry and may be printed at schools in
accordance with pupils’ needs. Moreover, every year, the Ministry
finances are aimed at providing pupils with visual disabilities access
to children’s magazines. For external assessment, which has been
gradually introduced in Poland since 2002, there are test papers in
Braille for blind pupils. Lien : Act of 19 August 2011 on sign language and other means of communication http://isap.sejm.gov.pl/DetailsServ... Additional links : Tasks undertaken in 2010 for implementation of the Charter of Rights for Persons with Disability http://orka.sejm.gov.pl/Druki6ka.ns... |
Portugal | According to
Decree-Law 3/2008, children have the opportunity to learn Braille and
sign language from pre-school to the end of compulsory education in
specially designated mainstream schools ; so-called ’reference
schools’ for deaf and/or blind or low vision students. ’Reference
schools’ are public mainstream schools, attended by regular students,
but which differ from other schools in the sense that they concentrate
human and technical resources for the bilingual education of deaf
students and the education of blind/low vision students (Art.18). Deaf
and blind/low vision students thus attend the closest reference school,
whether or not it is located in their neighbourhood (Art. 19). Lien : Decree-Law of Inclusive Education http://www.eb23-rates.rcts.pt/educa... |
Romania | Sign language is
used in all special schools for children with hearing impairments.
Recently, a specific programme of training for teachers was developed
in Cluj (2010-2013), with the support of European Structural Funds, for
the general use of sign language in schools. Braille is used in all
special schools for children with sight impairments. Sign language and
Braille are not yet used on a large scale in mainstream schools. The
new Law on Education (no.1/2011) mentions that all pupils with
disabilities should benefit from adequate support for inclusion in
mainstream schools and that these support measures should be
coordinated by the local Resource Centres for Educational Activities
(Centrul Judetean de Resurse pentru Activitatea Educationala/ Centrul
de Resurse al Municipiului Bucuresti) (Articles 50 and 51 of the Law
1/2011). The methodological norms for the organisation and functioning
of these Resource Centres have been released on October 7 2011. Pupils
with sensory disabilities benefit as well from exam facilities
(interpreters, adjustment of examination times etc.) in all cycles of
education, allowing them to pass the general examinations while using
Braille or sign language. Lien : Law on Education no 1/2011 http://www.edu.ro/ Additional links : Regulation for the Organisation and Functioning of the County Resource Centres for Educational Assistance http://www.cmbrae.ro/legi/OMECTS_Nr... |
Slovakia | The rights of deaf
children/students to study by using sign language are constituted in
section 4, Act 149/1995 Coll. on sign language for deaf persons. The
details of how to implement these rights are explained in Act 245/2008
Coll. on Education (School Act ; Zákon o výchove a
vzdelávaní/Školský zákon). According to section 144 of the Act ‘a
child/pupil with special educational needs has a right to education by
utilising specific forms and methods corresponding to his/her needs and
for creating necessary conditions which are essential for the
child/pupil’s education... he/she has the right to the use of special
textbooks and special didactic and compensational aids...’ (e.g. sign
language, Braille, alternative means of communication). In order to
support the study of young persons with sensory impairments at
university the Supportive centre for visually disabled students
(Podporné centrum pre zrakovo postihnutých študentov) was set up in
1993. Since 2009 the Centre has been operating as the Centre of Support
for Students with Special Needs ; extending its support services
to students with visual and hearing impairments, and students with
mobility problems. The Memorandum of the Slovak Republic government
(2010), in the section on Primary and secondary education, raised an
ambition ‘... to initiate a public discussion about sign language
codification and to extend supportive services for disabled
persons’. Lien : The School Act (Zákon o výchove a vzdelávaní /Školský zákon) http://www.uips.sk/sub/uips.sk/imag... Additional links : Act No. 149/1995 Coll. on sign language for deaf persons (Zákon o posunkovej reči nepočujúcich osôb) http://www.zbierka.sk/zz/predpisy/d... |
Slovenia | Article 4 of the
Regulations on additional professional and physical help for the
children and youth with special needs states that blind and visually
impaired children and deaf and hearing impaired children may get up to
5 hours of additional expert help in first placement order for
elementary school, and up to three hours in later placements (higher
classes and high school) or in kindergarten. Article 5 of the same
Regulations allows for additional expert help for blind and partially
sighted children and allows one extra hour for kindergartens, the last
third (classes from 7-9) of elementary school and secondary education,
and three more hours for children in elementary school (classes from 1
6). This right is usually implemented in a form of group work in premises of School for blind. There is no such provision for children who are deaf or who have severe hearing impairments. Lien : Regulations on additional professional and physical help for the children and youth with special needs, 2006 http://zakonodaja.gov.si/rpsi/r06/p... |
Spain | Children with
visual or hearing impairments have a right to but do not learn Braille
or sign language in their school. Blind children usually learn Braille
with the ONCE (National Organisation of Blind People) teachers and deaf
children often learn sign language in other associations. ONCE is a
non-profit corporate organisation that focuses its activities on the
improvement of the quality of life of people with blindness or severe
visual impairment from all over Spain. In mainstream schools additional
support is provided by specialist teachers who are specialised in
special education and/or hearing and speech difficulties. Lien : ONCE : National Organization of Blind People http://www.once.es/new Additional links : CNSE : Confederation of Deaf People http://www.cnse.es/ |
Sweden | The School Act
recognises sign language as a subject in education. According to the
Decree on Primary Schools, schools are obliged to arrange for teaching
in sign language if there are three or more pupils who choose it and,
according to the Decree on Municipal Adult Education, if the principal
allows, students have the right to be taught in sign language. Lien : National Agency for Special Needs Education http://www.spsm.se/ |
United Kingdom | There is no
absolute right to the provision of communication in Braille or British
Sign Language in the general education system, although support may be
funded and provided for such communication methods. The Education
(Teachers) Regulations 1993 require that all teachers of classes of
hearing-impaired pupils and visually-impaired pupils must obtain a
relevant, additional, approved qualification within three years of
appointment. Lien : Education (Teachers) Regulations 1993 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/... |
Croatia | The National
Pedagogical Standard regulates the right of a deaf child to an
interpreter for the sign language in classes (State pedagogical
standard for secondary education, Art. 47(5)), Official Gazette
63/2008, 90/2010). Lien : State pedagogical standard for secondary education (Official Gazette 90/2010) http://narodne-novine.nn.hr/clanci/... |
Macedonia | There are no
provisions for learning Braille or sign language in mainstream schools.
Braille and sign language are taught only in the special secondary
schools for blind and deaf students respectively. With the Law for sign
language kindegartens, primary and secondary schools are obliged to
provide sign language interpretators for pupils with hearing
impairments. Lien : Law for sign language http://www.deafmkd.org.mk/index.php... |
Iceland | The first school
for the blind and visually impaired (Blindraskóli) opened in 1933 and
was located in various forms as sub-units within mainstream schools.
The school closed in 2004, partly as the result of the growing emphasis
on mainstream, inclusive education and a decreasing enrolment of blind
and visually impaired students within the school in favour of
mainstream education. A report from 2004 from the Ministry of Education
(Bćtt ađgengi blindra og sjónskertra ađ menntakerfinu) on improving
access to education for blind and visually impaired students
recommended, among other things, the creation of a knowledge centre
that would provide support for blind, visually impaired and deaf/blind
students, and teachers within mainstream education. The Centre was
established in 2009 (Ţjónustu- og ţekkingarmiđstöđ fyrir blinda,
sjónskerta og daufblinda einstaklinga) and provides such supports as
evaluating students needs and equipment, learning materials, assessing
schools, helping with curricula, and assisting with teaching methods.
In terms of the legal context, the Education Acts from 2008, which
govern pre-school and compulsory school and upper-secondary school (The
Preschool Act ; Compulsory School Act ; and the Upper
Secondary School Act) all make varying general references to inclusion
and mainstream education, but nothing specific with regard to learning
Braille. A bill that passed into law in June 2011 on the status of the
Icelandic language and Icelandic Sign Language (Lög um stöđu íslenskrar
tungu og íslensks táknmáls nr. 61/2011), also includes an article
(Article 4) on the status of Braille in Icelandic (Íslenskt
punktaletur). This Article recognises Braille as the first written
language of blind and visually impaired people and stated that they
should have the opportunity as early as possible to learn Braille.
While this Law does not explicitly provide that blind and visually
impaired students have the right to learn Braille in mainstream
schools, it could possibly serve as the legal precedence for such an
argument. Article 4 of the Regulation on students with special needs in
compulsory school (Reglugerđ nr. 585/2010 um nemendur međ sérţarfir í
grunnskóla) specifically entitles students with special needs to the
use of “sign language, Braille and appropriate equipment, adapted
materials, facilities and training to promote the best possible
education, empowerment and social development.” While nothing deaf or
hearing impairment specific appears in either The Preschool Act or the
Compulsory School Act, the Upper Secondary School Act contains a
reference in Article 34 of this Act which states that the regulations
shall provide provisions on the right of hearing impaired and deaf
students to receive special instruction in Icelandic Sign Language.
This was recently reinforced with the passing of the law on the status
of the Icelandic language and Icelandic Sign Language (Lög um stöđu
íslenskrar tungu og íslensks táknmáls nr. 61/2011). Within this law,
Article 3 holds that Icelandic Sign Language (Íslenskt táknmál) is the
first language of deaf and hearing impaired people in Iceland and their
children, and that the government should support and encourage its use.
Anyone who needs to learn and use Sign Language should have the
earliest possible opportunity to do so and that this same right also
applies to their closest relatives. Article 13 also states that
Icelandic Sign has the equal status as Icelandic as a form of
communication between people and that it is ‘not permissible’
(óheimilt) to discriminate against people on the basis of their use of
this language. The right to use Sign Language, at least at the
compulsory school level, is also stated within the above-mentioned
Regulation on students with special needs in compulsory school
(Reglugerđ nr. 585/2010 um nemendur međ sérţarfir í grunnskóla). Lien : Law on the status of the Icelandic language and Icelandic Sign Language 61/2011 http://www.althingi.is/altext/139/s... Additional links : Ministry of Education report (2004) on improving access for blind and visually student in the education system http://www.hi.is/files/skjol/stjorn... Service Centre for Blind, Visually Impaired, and Deaf-Blind individuals http://midstod.is/ Preschool Act 90/2008 http://eng.menntamalaraduneyti.is/m... Compulsory School Act 91/2008 http://eng.menntamalaraduneyti.is/m... Upper Secondary School Act 92/2008 http://eng.menntamalaraduneyti.is/m... Regulation on students with special needs in compulsory school 585/2010 http://www.reglugerd.is/interpro/dk... |
Serbia | We do not yet have information for this item |
Turkey | We do not yet have information for this item |
Liechtenstein | No specific
provisions are noted in the Act on School Education with respect to
sign language and Braille in school. General provisions, however, make
clear that integration of children with disabilities into the regular
schools is preferred and assistance to do so is offered by the state,
e.g. by professional experts. Lien : Act on School Education http://www.gesetze.li/Seite2.jsp?LG... Additional links : Department of Education - Special Education http://www.llv.li/amtsstellen/llv-s... |
Norway | According to
Article 2-6 in the Law on Education, children with their "first
language/mother tongue" in sign language have the right to have sign
language as their compulsory school language. The right also applies to
children under school age. Article 2-14 provides the right to necessary
education in Braille and use of necessary assistive technology
according to assessment. Article 3-9 and 3-10 covers requirements for
secondary education. Lien : Sign language in compulsory school http://www.lovdata.no/all/hl-199807... |