Lend them an attentive ear
By Vanessa J. das Dores

Wong Chi Son, 45, is seriously handicapped in hearing. The other day she broke her leg when she slipped down the stairs on her way to work in the evening. With the closure of the only sign language translation service center, Macao Deaf Association, Wong had nowhere to ask for help. She said, "I need a sign language translator to consult the doctor, but the office was closed at night and I couldn't find any help." 

Chiu Chun Wang, president of the Macao Adult Deaf Special Education Association, said that similar cases always happen. Chiu said, "There is only one association in Macao in which deaf people could ask for help and in that association, there is only one sign language translator, who has to serve all the deaf people in Macao." 

The association was set up by deaf people and their parents in February this year, but a similar service has been offered for two years. Chiu pointed out that from January to September this year, the association received 83 requests and over one-third of them were in non-working hours.

According to the voluntary worker of sign language translation identified as Cat, the sign language is a professional knowledge. Several months of a training course on sign language would not be adequate for a professional sign language translator. "To be a sign language translator, one has to understand deaf people both physically and mentally," she said. 

In Macao, deaf children would receive education in the Concordia School For Special Education. She said most of the Form 5 graduates in that school have an education level equal to Primary 3 students. And after the secondary school, deaf children would have no opportunity to further their studies. Therefore, they usually have difficulty in communicating with people in society.

Wong said, "Without a sign language translator, the doctor would not understand me and may result in wrong prescriptions."