<div dir="ltr"><h1>Disability policy says all educators should have basic sign language skills</h1>
<h2><p>National policy on the rights of people with a disability
launched, parliamentary secretary describes it as start of a 'new era'
of inclusion for disabled people </p></h2>
<div class="">
<div class="">Tim Diacono </div> <div class="">3 December 2014, 2:59pm</div>
</div>
<div class="">
<div class=""><a href="http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/printversion/47070/" target="_target">Print Version</a></div>
<div class="">
<a href="http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/47070/disability_policy_says_all_educators_should_have_basic_sign_language_skills#" title="Facebook" class=""><span class=""><span class="">Share on facebook</span></span></a>
<a href="http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/47070/disability_policy_says_all_educators_should_have_basic_sign_language_skills#" title="Tweet" class=""><span class=""><span class="">Share on twitter</span></span></a>
<a href="http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/47070/disability_policy_says_all_educators_should_have_basic_sign_language_skills#" title="Pinterest" target="_blank" class=""><span class=""><span class="">Share on pinterest_share</span></span></a>
<a title="Google+" target="_blank" href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300&winname=addthis&pub=ra-530317cf1eaeeb63&source=tbx-300&lng=en-US&s=google_plusone_share&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.maltatoday.com.mt%2Fnews%2Fnational%2F47070%2Fdisability_policy_says_all_educators_should_have_basic_sign_language_skills&title=Disability%20policy%20says%20all%20educators%20should%20have%20basic%20sign%20language%20skills%20-%20MaltaToday.com.mt&ate=AT-ra-530317cf1eaeeb63/-/-/5480809ac8014604/2&frommenu=1&uid=5480809a482405f6&ct=1&tt=0&captcha_provider=nucaptcha" class=""><span class=""><span class="">Share on google_plusone_share</span></span></a>
<a href="http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/47070/disability_policy_says_all_educators_should_have_basic_sign_language_skills#" class=""><span class=""><span class="">More Sharing Services</span></span></a><a href="http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/47070/disability_policy_says_all_educators_should_have_basic_sign_language_skills#" title="View more services" target="_blank" class="">36</a>
</div>
</div>
<div class="">
<div class="">
<img src="http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/ui_frontend/thumbnail/684/0/disability_policy.jpg">
</div>
<div class="">
<div class="">Scicluna presents national policy for rights of disabled people. (Photo Ray Attard)</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="">
<div class="" style><div class=""><div class=""><div class="">
<a class=""><div class=""><span style="vertical-align:bottom;width:49px;height:61px"></span></div></a>
<a href="http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/47070/disability_policy_says_all_educators_should_have_basic_sign_language_skills#" title="View more services" target="_blank" class="">36</a><a class=""><span></span></a>
</div></div></div></div>
</div>
<div class="">
<div class="">
<img src="http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/ui_frontend/video_thumbnail/684/400/?url=http://embed.wistia.com/deliveries/69597f1e723797f95221cb317d9d4c987309d27c.jpg">
</div>
<div class="">
<div class="">National policy on rights of disabled people launched • Video Ray Attard</div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="float:left;margin:8px 25px 8px 0px">
<div id="ad_15"> </div>
</div>
All educators should have basic sign language skills,
according to a new national policy on the rights of people with a
disability. Among other initiatives, the policy includes proposals for
self-employment schemes, giving persons with disabilities the chance to
avail themselves of subsidies to start their own businesses.
<br><br>
The policy, which was developed with the input of people
with a disability, also calls for better education and awareness – all
Learning Support Assistants must be trained in impairment-related
preparation and all tertiary education should include a study unit about
disability awareness.<br>
Changes to public transport are also proposed in the policy. Transport
should be both physically accessible and outfitted with technology such
as electronic displays and recorded announcements to make traveling
easier for persons with disabilities.
<br><br>
The policy also promotes the education of disabled persons,
in communication skills such as sign language and Braille and other
techniques. Information by government departments and agencies should be
presented in a variety of ways, including braille and visual
representation, as well as using simplified language to make it more
accessible.
<br><br>
A national strategy based on this policy will be launched in
the coming weeks, parliamentary secretary for rights of people with a
disability Justyne Caruana said at the policy’s launch.
<br><br>
“The issues faced by people with disabilities are often
invisible,” Caruana said. “People need to open their eyes to the real
issues of poverty, discrimination and social exclusion that people with a
disability face. This policy represents a new era for people with a
disability, as it promotes more inclusion for them in all aspects of
life.”
<br><br>
She cited Budget measures such as the placing of disabled
people on certain government boards and the enforcement of an old law
that 2% of the workforce of companies that employ over 20 people must be
people with a disability. Disabled people will also no longer lose
their disability pension once they find employment.
<br><br>
“The policy is built on the premise of autonomy and dignity
for all,” social solidarity minister Michael Farrugia said. “Everyone
has a right to full equality and we must start thinking from the point
that everyone is disabled in some way.”
<br><br>
Farrugia also announced that some 80 persons with disabilities will be working in government offices in Gozo.
<br><br>
Oliver Scicluna, chairman of the National Commission for
People with a Disability (KNPD), appealed for people with a disability
to be involved in the drafting of the policy's actual strategy as they
were in the drafting of the policy.
<br><br clear="all"><a href="http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/47070/disability_policy_says_all_educators_should_have_basic_sign_language_skills#.VICAmsm-7IU">http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/47070/disability_policy_says_all_educators_should_have_basic_sign_language_skills#.VICAmsm-7IU</a><br>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature">**************************************<br>N.b.: Listing on the lgpolicy-list is merely intended as a service to its members<br>and implies neither approval, confirmation nor agreement by the owner or sponsor of the list as to the veracity of a message's contents. Members who disagree with a message are encouraged to post a rebuttal, and to write directly to the original sender of any offensive message. A copy of this may be forwarded to this list as well. (H. Schiffman, Moderator)<br><br>For more information about the lgpolicy-list, go to <a href="https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/">https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/</a><br>listinfo/lgpolicy-list<br>*******************************************</div>
</div>