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What we do

The Handlab is a South African Sign Language (SASL) curriculum development project based at Stellenbosch University. It is driven by a team of Deaf and hearing individuals who are passionate about empowering Deaf learners in South Africa through literacy and language development.

We create Learning and Teaching Support Material (LTSM) for the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) and we work in partnership with six public schools for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in the Western Cape Province. Our material consists of video texts of various genres, teaching resources for sign language classes, and theme-based and subject terminology.

Who we are

Testimonials

“Many of the Deaf learners’ world or frame of reference is very small and through this material a whole new world is opened to them!”

There has been a vast improvement in the learners’ vocabulary and this improves their ability to be able to express their feelings and tell of their experiences.

Learners are more confident to express their views and feelings. Their vocabulary is also broadened and at many occasions learners will ask the meaning and the sign of unfamiliar words.

Having practical examples of SASL text encourages and improves the learners’ creativity, comprehension skills and reading ability, in the same way hearing children are encouraged when they read.

The materials save me so much time. Finding suitable material for SASL class is a pain. Before we had the materials, finding something suitable took a lot of time and made me quite anxious because only overseas sign language materials were available.

What we do

Who we are

Vanessa Reyneke

Frenette Southwood

Alex Nyawo

Lenka Knoetze

Modiegi Njeyiyana

Simone Conradie

Testimonials

Our partners