Muscat – The Ministry of Social Development (MoSD) has launched a specialised five-day training workshop in sign language for 15 participants from the Oman National Autism Centre.

The initiative is aimed at improving communication with visitors who have hearing disabilities, particularly for employees in the Directorate General of Persons with Disabilities.

The workshop, which began on Sunday, focuses on promoting the use of Omani sign language to facilitate easier and more efficient transactions for people with hearing impairments.

It will cover a range of topics, including job titles, department names, and tasks within the directorate, along with practical applications of sign language in various real-life scenarios.

Moza Salim al Ghafri, a sign language expert at MoSD, explained, “The goal of the workshop is to equip participants with the necessary skills to communicate effectively with hearing-impaired individuals, enabling them to complete tasks without relying on an interpreter.”

Ahmed bin Suleiman al Awfi, a participant from the Oman National Autism Centre, highlighted the importance of the training, stating, “Learning sign language will help in translation and also contribute to integrating hearing-impaired individuals into society, improving communication and service delivery.”

On the first day, the session began with a historical overview of sign language, followed by practical applications in areas such as family, business, and religion.

In the coming days, participants will practice sign language related to attributes, cases, colours, services, job titles, and locations within Oman, including the names of wilayats and institutions.

The workshop is expected to empower employees to engage with hearing-impaired individuals with confidence, ultimately improving service delivery and fostering greater inclusion for people with disabilities in Oman.