Improving sign language access and learning for deaf children in low-resource contexts
The Grand Challenge
Deaf children lack access to sign language and sign language-enabled learning
Of the estimated 32 million deaf children around the world, 80 percent do not have access to education, and only two percent receive education in sign language. This is particularly true in areas of the world with few resources, profoundly affecting deaf children who already face tremendous barriers to economic and social opportunities. Without early exposure to language, children who are deaf fail to develop social and cognitive skills at the same rate as their peers, hindering their ability to learn to read and write and isolating them from society.
The Big Idea
Creative solutions for accessing language and learning in local sign languages
The Sign On For Literacy prize competition sought innovations that increase sign language and literacy outcomes for deaf children in low-resource contexts. The prize awarded creative solutions for expanding access to local sign languages, sign language-enabled early grade reading materials, and reading instruction by engaging families, schools, and communities.
Prize Partners
The ACR GCD Founding Partners thank the following organizations for their collaboration on this competition.
Adding Marathi human-narrated audio capabilities to create accessible, grade-level storybooks that can be listened to on low cost audio devices by children who are blind/low vision
Using innovative technologies for teachers to create and translate print/braille learning materials and for children who are blind/low vision to learn braille.
Mobilizing community members to submit favorite local stories and folktales and distributing the stories, along with comprehension questions, to early grade students and their families via SMS.
Assistive technology that enables educators to easily create and publish Moroccan Sign Language (MSL) supported educational materials for students who are deaf/hard of hearing.
Transforming readers into basal electronic formats with interactive features, including multi-modal presentations that build on children’s oral Khmer language skills
Providing families in Mali with immediate access to community developed print and digital reading resources through mobile technology and local libraries
Fostering parental engagement through use of “Mundo de Libros,” a technology-based tool that matches students with grade level-appropriate Spanish reading materials that align with their abilities
Providing families with a smartphone based mobile app, based on the Marathi dubbed version of Sesame Street, (Galli Galli Sim Sim), to promote mother-tongue literacy skills
The Sign On For Literacy prize sought technology-based innovations that increase literacy outcomes for deaf children in low resource settings by providing greater access to sign languages, early grade
ACR GCD Alumni, eKitabu's grantee journey is one of four detailed Case Studies that demonstrates key learning about thematic priorities for the USAID Meta Evaluation of Grand Challenges
ACR GCD Alumni, Little Thinking Minds' grantee journey is one of four detailed Case Studies that demonstrates key learning about thematic priorities for the USAID Meta Evaluation of Grand Challenges
The Grand Challenge is concluding 12 years of funding and testing innovative EdTech solutions and approaches to increase reading outcomes for marginalized children in low-resource contexts