Sign language is a visual manual language that uses facial expressions, hand gestures and movements of the body to communicate which is often used by people who are deaf and hard of hearing. [1]

The International Day of Sign Languages is celebrated on September 23rd and was recognized by the United Nations in 2017. This is the same day the World Federation of Deaf (WFD) was established, which is an organization that advocates for the preservation of sign languages and Deaf culture, while underscoring the importance for equal human rights, inclusivity, and full accessibility for deaf people [2]

Today, there are 72 million deaf people worldwide and there are more than 300 different sign languages used in the world. Similar to spoken languages, there are regional differences to sign languages so people who understand American Sign Language (ASL) may have a hard time understanding someone who uses British Sign Language (BSL). This speaks of the importance of understanding which language is used when trying to communicate with the deaf community. [1] 

Access to public transit is a fundamental part of daily life for many. However, for deaf and hard-of-hearing riders, navigating public transportation systems can pose significant difficulties due to communication barriers, especially in emergency situations or when unexpected service changes occur. This makes the International Day of Sign Languages an important reminder for transit agencies to examine how they are serving all passengers, including those who cannot hear. 

Transit agencies such as MBTA have made efforts to become more accessible to those who rely on visual information. Signage, visual alerts, and real-time service information are critical components of accessible transit. The MBTA has implemented features such as visual message boards, LED displays on platforms and vehicles, and a mobile app that provides service updates. These tools help bridge the communication gap for deaf and hard-of-hearing riders who may not be able to access spoken announcements. [3]

Things that can be done to be inclusive to the deaf community in the workplace include [4] [5]:

• Learn sign language and encourage others by advocating for an ASL training session
• Bring in real time interpretations for trainings, events, and public meetings
• If available, enable captions when having a virtual meeting
• Provide visual and written communication such as meeting notes, instructions, follow up emails after a verbal discussion and signages for events
• Make sure that deaf people are able to see interpreters during meetings and also face the group when presenting so that lip-readers can see your mouth

The International Day of Sign Languages should serve as a reminder of the importance of linguistic inclusivity and that communication is a human right. It should encourage all to explore ways we could be more inclusive when designing public transportation systems and within the workplace.

[1] https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/sign-language/
[2] https://www.un.org/en/observances/sign-languages-day
[3] https://www.mbta.com/accessibility
[4] https://api-gbv.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/MakingMeetingsandEventsAccessible.pdf
[5] https://www.disabilityresources.org/conference-access.html

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