Signing in from China

Two women had all the attention of Chinese student Guan Xuesong (24) and his 20 odd friends at the IGNOU convention centre during the universitys silver jubilee celebrations.

Two women had all the attention of Chinese student Guan Xuesong (24) and his 20 odd friends at the IGNOU convention centre during the universitys silver jubilee celebrations. The first was of course President Pratibha Devisingh Patel and the second Geetanjali Nair,the students support officer of Guans Applied Sign Language course.

Nair interpreted all the speeches to the students and their instructor Shibaji Panda in Indian sign language. The hearing impaired students,including five foreigners,were special invitees to the celebrations.

Im very happy to be part of IGNOUs silver jubilee. I felt special watching the President of India so close, Guan later said through Nair. I joined IGNOU because the course was a unique opportunity to know how Indian sign language worked. I am happier because we have a hearing impaired lecturer teaching us through sign language, he added.

The programme,the first of its kind in the country,is the result of an IGNOU Central Lancashire University MoU signed in September this year. The degree certificate will have names of both universities.

IGNOU hopes it would be able to supplement the short-supply of trained instructors for hearing impaired students through the programme.

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