What the government’s new mobile app sign learn for Indian sign languages

New Delhi, Sep 24: The Centre on Friday launched an Indian Sign Language (ISL) dictionary mobile application called Sign Learn containing 10,000 words.

The app was launched by Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Pratima Bhoumik. Sign Learn is based on the Indian sign language dictionary of the Indian Sign Language Research And Training Centre (ISLRTC) which contains 10,000 words. The app is available in Android as well as iOS versions, and all the words in the ISL dictionary can be searched through Hindi or English medium, officials said. The sign videos of the app can also be shared on social media.

"The app has been developed to make the ISL dictionary easily available and to make it more accessible for the public at large," a senior official said to PTI.

Notably, ISLRTC had recently signed an MoU with the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) on October 6, 2020, for converting NCERT textbooks from classes 1 to 12 into the Indian Sign Language (digital format) to make the textbooks accessible to children with hearing disabilities. This year, ISL e-content of NCERT textbooks of class 6 was launched, the official added.

Under Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, the Centre had launched ISL versions of selected books of National Book Trust's Veergatha series.

With the joint effort of ISLRTC and NCERT, 500 academic words in Indian Sign Language were launched. These academic words are used at the secondary level which are often used in history, science, political science and mathematics, the official added.