A group of experts from the University of Edinburgh developed hundreds of new British Sign Language signs that will allow the deaf community to take part in discussions surrounding climate science. A team of 12 experts from the University of Edinburgh - comprising deaf scientists, deaf educators, and sign linguists - developed 400 environmental science British Sign Language (BSL) signs as part of a Royal Society-funded project. Dr Audrey Cameron, from Moray House School of Education and Sport, wrote an article for 'The Conversation' titled 'How we designed sign language for climate science', detailing the development process. Following the article's publication, Channel 4 invited Dr Cameron to participate in a news interview to discuss the ground-breaking new signs. Watch the news story Dr Audrey Cameron takes a chemistry class With temperatures continuing to rise, discussions around the world’s climate are becoming increasingly vital. However, accessibility to participate in discussions about the current climate issues has proven to be a barrier for many. The introduction of these new BSL signs aims to empower everyone to participate in these crucial conversations about present challenges and the future.Related information: How we designed sign language for climate scienceDr Audrey CameronBSL planInstitute for Education, Teaching and Leadership (IETL) Image credit: Baks Tags British Sign Language (BSL) Research 2024 Publication date 09 Jan, 2025
