Signed languages, interpreting, and the Deaf Community in Ghana and West Africa

Signed languages, interpreting, and the Deaf Community in Ghana and West AfricaGhana is a country in West Africa and home to about 30 million people. In Ghana the goal of inclusive and quality education for all is very high on the Governments reform agenda and a recognized area of need (Swanwick et al., 2021). There is a developing infrastructure for coordinated education and health services for deaf and other people with disabilities. Indeed, Ghana has a developing sign language, Ghanaian Sign Language (GhSL) and, at least two

Ghana is a country in West Africa and home to about 30 million people. In Ghana the goal of inclusive and quality education for all is very high on the GovernmentÕs reform agenda and a recognized area of need (Swanwick et al., 2021). There is a developing infrastructure for coordinated education and health services for deaf and other people with disabilities. Indeed, Ghana has a developing sign language, Ghanaian Sign Language (GhSL) and, at least two indigenous signed languages, Adamorobe Sign Language and Nanabin Sign Language (Hadjah, 2016; Nyst, 2010). There is an active association of the deaf, Ghana National Association of the Deaf (GNAD), that campaigns to reduce the social isolation and marginalization of deaf people. However, the early support of young deaf children and their caregivers is an unmet need. Again, in Ghana diagnosis of childhood deafness is typically late since statistics suggest that about 20% of children living with significant auditory problems are not identified until after their fifth birthday (Swanwick et al., 2021). Though there are laws in place in Ghana, such as the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, Act 527, 1992, and the Persons with Disability Act, Act 715, 2006, indicating that all individuals should have access to all public and social amenities, access to public information to individuals who are D/deaf has been minimal due to the lack of adequate services, such as professional interpreters and note-takers.

The objectives for this volume are to:
Describe the Ghanaian Deaf Community
Illustrate the need for services for Ghanaians who are d/Deaf or hard-of-hearing
Begin documentation of linguistic information about Ghanaian signed languages
Explain services already being provided