Implementation of Malaysian Hand Signal Codes into Applications for the Hearing Impaired

Year 2019, Volume: 7 Issue: 1, 54 - 63, 30.06.2019

Diyana Kamarudın , Yasmin Hussaın

Abstract

Hearing-impairment
is one of the topics within special education. This disability is one of the
factors contributing to difficulty in learning. Unable to effectively
communicate is one of the reasons why employment continues to be an elusive
goal for people with disabilities. In Malaysia, the Bahasa Melayu subject is
compulsory and utilizes Bahasa Melayu Kod Tangan (BMKT), which deaf children
have a harder time grasping. They are used to the informal communication, using
Bahasa Isyarat Malaysia (BIM). Creating a teaching-aid to translate and back
translate between BMKT and BIM would help deaf children adapt better in class,
thus improve their communication and learning ability. This research was a
preliminary study on getting information from subject matter experts on what
they need and what should be implemented into the teaching tool. Two themes
were derived from this study, which are students
not being able to grasp Bahasa Melayu and technology as a teaching aid. Two subtheme were found for students not being able to grasp Bahasa
Melayu are short attention span
and BIM as support. A subtheme was
found under technology as a teaching aid which
is used materials from other sources.

Keywords

: Bahasa Melayu Kod Tangan, Bahasa Isyarat Malaysia, Technology, Education, hearing impaired

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