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

Öz

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.

Anahtar Kelimeler

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

References

1. Abdullah, M. N. L. Y., & Eng, T. K. (2012). Perceived communication skills of persons with sensory impairment: a comparison by employment status. Procedia – Social and Behavioural Sciences, 31, 794-799.
2. Debbie, C. (2014). “The importance of deaf culture”. Available at: http://www.healthyhearing.com/report/52285-The-importance-of-deaf-culture
3. Francisco, A. A., Groen,, M. A., Jesse, A., & McQueen, J. M. (2017). Beyond the usual cognitive suspects: The importance of speechreading and audiovisual temporal sensitivity in reading ability. Journal of Learning and Individual Differences, 54, 60-72.
4. Gall, M. D., Gall, J. P., & Borg, W. R. (2007).Educational research: An introduction (8thed.).Boston: Pearson.
5. Grove, N., & Woll, B. (2017). Assessing language skills in adult key word signers with intellectual disabilities: Insights from sign linguistics. Journal of Research in Developmental Disabilities, 62, 174-183.
6. Holmer, E., Heimann, M., & Rudner, M. (2016). Evidence of an association between sign language phonological awareness and word reading in deaf and hard-of-hearing children. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 48, 145-159.
7. Kamarudin, D. (2017). Methodology (Technology). Publisher: Universiti Malaysia Pahang.
8. Humphries, T., Kushalnagar, P., Mathur, G., Napoli, D. J., Padden, C., Rathmann, C., & Smith, S. (2016). Avoiding linguistic neglect of deaf children. Social Service Review, 90(4), 589-619.

9. Marschark, M., Leigh, G., Sapere, P., Burnham, D., Stinson, C. C. M., Knoors, H., Vervloed, M. P. J., & Noble, W. (2006). Benefits of sign language interpreting and text alternatives for deaf students’ classroom learning. Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, 11, 421-437.
10. Meadow, K. P. (2005). Early manual communication in relation to the deaf child's intellectual, social and communicative functioning. Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, 10(4), 321-329.
11. Potocki, A. , Sanchez, M., Ecalle, J., & Magnan, A. (2015). Linguistic and Cognitive Profiles of 8- to 15-Year-Old Children With Specific Reading Comprehension Difficulties: The Role of Executive Functions. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 50(2), 128-142.
12. Trussell, J. W., & Easterbrooks, S. R. (2017). Morphological Knowledge and Students Who Are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing: A Review of the Literature. Communication Disorders Quarterly, 38(2), 67-77.
13. Word Federation of the Deaf. (2016). Sign Language. Available at: https://wfdeaf.org/human-rights/crpd/sign-language/
14. Yusof, M. M., Yasin, M. H. M., Hashim, S. H., & Itam, M. A. (2012). Transition programme and barriers to participating in the employment sector among hearing impaired students in Malaysia. Procedia: Social and Behavioural Sciences, 47, 1793-1801.
15. Yousoff, A., & Mohamed, C. R. (2004). Penguasaan Bahasa Melayu dalam kalangan murid pekak: Suatu sorotan dari perspecktif linguistic. Jurnal Dewan Bahasa, 639-680.
16. Zainuddin, N. M. M., Zaman, H. B., & Ahmad, A. (2010). Developing Augmented Reality Book for Deaf in Science: The Determining Factors.
17. http://www.jkm.gov.my/images/stories/pdf/oku2008scan.pdf retrieved on 18th April 2016
18. http://sirkarami.tripod.com/bahasaisyarat.htm retrieved on 13th April 2016
19. http://libguides.gallaudet.edu/content.php?pid=119476&sid=1061104 retrieved on 25th January 2017