We were pleased to collaborate with the World Federation of the Deaf and Inclusion International on a new position paper.

This position paper has been made to explain that deaf people with intellectual disabilities have specific rights and that they should be fully included in their communities.

This position paper is for people and organisations who work with deaf people with intellectual disabilities and their families. For example, it is for:

• People who make decisions (like governments),
• People who work with deaf people with intellectual disabilities, like service providers,
• Organisations that include deaf people with intellectual disabilities.

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The problem.

Deaf people with intellectual disabilities are not always seen or included by their communities. They are more likely to be excluded and left behind.

Deaf people with intellectual disability have a right to communicate in sign language. They have a right to get good support to use communication. 

Deaf people with intellectual disability have a right to accessible communication. Accessible communication means that what is being said is easy for everyone to understand.

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The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (the CRPD) says that deaf people with disabilities have the right to use sign languages to communicate with their government. 

The CRPD also says that people with disabilities have the right to take part equally in their communities. This means that deaf people with intellectual disabilities have the right to have a social life and get services in ways they understand.

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What needs to happen?

For deaf people with intellectual disabilities to be fully included, they need to have access to languages they understand and be able to use them to communicate with others.

They should get access to professional people who know how to interpret spoken languages into sign languages. Professionals can help ensure that deaf people with intellectual disabilities participate in places like schools, workplaces, communities, and with their families and supporters.

For deaf people to be included in communities, they must be included at school. To make this happen, education systems need to be fully inclusive. Deaf people with intellectual disabilities need to be around people their age who can use sign languages and deaf adults who can be role models.

Governments should include deaf people with intellectual disabilities and their families when they are planning programmes or policies. They should ask for ideas and involve them in making rules and doing research.

Researchers and organisations should provide more information about what works for including deaf people with intellectual disabilities.

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Read the position paper:

Original

Plain language version