British Sign Language & other Communication Support Services for Deaf People

Makaton Proficiency

Makaton is designed to be used to support spoken language, for people with learning or communication difficulties. Makaton is often used along side speech to help aid children and adults with communication. It is common for people to eventually stop using signs as their speech develops. Wherever Makaton is used in the world, the signs from the sign language of that country are used. LITS’s sign advisors select signs that look like a word and are easy to make. Once a sign is selected to be used with Makaton this becomes the sign that is used across the whole country. This means that if a Makaton user needs to move to another school or town, the signs used there will be the same as they use in their current location.

Deaf Telephone

Deaf Telephone equipment is for users who are deaf or with hearing loss. This includes telephones and accessories to amplify or visually represent either the caller’s speech, or the phone ringing. Modern day deaf telephone relay services have made a huge difference in enabling deaf people to access the telephone network.

Deaf people use relay services; whether written and spoken English, or a tactile method is the preferred mode of communication, or if British Sign Language (BSL) is the first language–all need to be supported by relay services.