1 CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE BY CHEGOVO REWARD WEDZERO. Factors that influence implementation of Sign language Regulatory Frameworks in Zimbabwean Special Schools for the Deaf. Abstract The literature review focuses on factors that influence the implementation of sign language regulatory frameworks in Special schools for the Deaf. Special schools for the Deaf plays a very important role in providing education and support for the Deaf learners and the implementation of the Sign Language Regulatory Frameworks is essential to ensure their linguistic and educational rights. Drawing on a vast body of research and theoretical frameworks, this study explores he various factors that influence the successful implementation of such a framework in special schools for the Deaf. These factors include policy and legal frameworks. Educational practices, cultural and identity aspects, and international influences. Through a comprehensive analysis of these factors, this study aims to provide insights into the challenges and opportunities in implementing sign language regulatory frameworks in special schools for the Deaf. The findings of this study can inform policymakers, educators, and stakeholders in developing effective strategies and interventions to promote linguistic rights for the Deaf learners.
2.1 Introduction This chapter focuses on reviewing literature related to the study problem. Since the main purpose of the study is to assess the factors that influences the implementation of Sign Language regulatory frameworks in Zimbabwean special schools for the Deaf, the chapter starts by focusing on the unpacking of key concepts related to the Regulatory Framework for Sign Language in Zimbabwe that supported the implementation of Sign Language in special schools, both locally and globally. The review has been done against the study objectives. However, before engaging in the literature review using objectives, the researcher starts by reviewing the background information about Sign Language. 2.2 Unpacking of Key Concepts of Sign Language The first modern linguistic analysis of a signed language was published in 1960 (Stokoe, 1960). Stokoe’s work formed a solid base for what was to become a new field of research: Stokoe’s ground-breaking work on the structure of ASL has led to an acceptance of signed languages as autonomous linguistic systems that exhibit the complex structure characteristic of all human languages (Mcburney, 2001). Kamukwamba (2017) notes that since the famous work of William Stokoe in 1966, Sign Language has come to be accepted as a natural language. Kamukwamba (2017) noted that until then, educators of the hearing impaired had refused to recognize Sign Language as a true language and tried numerous other methods of educating the hearing impaired. It was common knowledge that Sign Language was banned and emphasis was placed on oral methods to train the hearing impaired in speech, while others tried to come up with unnatural systems of signing, such as pure signed English and signed exact English. These systems were manual representations of the English language (Kamukwamba, 2017). 2.2.1 Sign Language Overview in Zimbabwe There has been very little research on ZSL. Regional variation is also reported as clearly present, with influences from ASL, BSL, SASL, and ISL. The individual schools apparently developed their own forms of signing that differs from the signing used in the community (African Languages Resource Center, 2022). In the North East, the influence of English is reported and in the South West of Masvingo, Shona influence is apparent. This variation causes problems of comprehension. The first dictionary of ZSL Vol. 1 was produced in 1990 and then Vol. 2 in 2010. The most recent dictionary (hardcopy) was created in 2011, with the purpose of creating some standardization. There are vocabulary charts of signs for the police, and for HIV/AIDS. DVDs are also present at the King George VIth School (Hammarstrom et al., 2016, Mhlanga, 2011, Musengi, 2014&World Federation of the Deaf 2008). The use of outdated Sign Language dictionaries has led to variations in Sign Language even for users at the same school and when the learners move to other grades they will have to learn new signs for the same word. These variations in Sign Language affect the academic performance of Deaf learners. It is the obligation of the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to update the Zimbabwean Sign Language dictionaries in the same way they update regular primary school textbooks, so as to avoid variations in Zimbabwean Sign Language.