THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Ever since the outbreak, various platforms have appeared to disseminate information and alerts. However, there barely exists any for the hearing-impaired persons in the Indian Sign Language (ISL). As a result, they do not receive data on time. To ensure that Covid-19-related information is accessible to the hearing-impaired, Silvy Maxi Mena, an English teacher at the National Institute of Speech and Hearing (NISH), and Vinayachandran B S, a freelance ISL interpreter, are providing live updates about coronavirus through ‘NISH Tvm’, a YouTube channel available under the centre for communication and media development category of the institute.

The news website which commenced last month caters to the needs of the deaf by providing them with the latest updates of Covid-19 and the current status of the pandemic in the world. Silvy says, “Before the lockdown, the regional news channels used to carry bulletins in Indian sign language with the help of interpreters. But, due to the lockdown and mobility restrictions, the facility had to be temporarily stopped which resulted in the deaf community not getting any information.”

Realising the negative impact, Silvy and Vinayachandran thought of making information available to the deaf community. “The script comprises national and international news updates and guidelines for mobility,” says Silvy. While she creates videos, Vinayachandran edits the same and translates it into ISL.

“Each video is timed at 15 minutes and covers the most important pandemic information,” says Vinayachandran, who studied ISL from NISH three years ago. Besides volunteering for various organisations, he is also a volunteer interpreter with the World Health Organisation. He says: “All around the world, news briefings about the virus are being given along with sign language interpretation. But this has not been made available in our country thereby making information inaccessible to the hearing impaired. We aim to help them receive all the necessary information.”

The channel ‘NISH Tvm’ has already received good feedback from the deaf community. Besides providing updates, the website also includes an activity category to relieve the deaf community from stress or anxiety during the lockdown along with a guideline category which includes the protective measures to be taken.