The movement towards inclusion of persons who are deaf and hard of hearing emphasizes the use of Sign Language Interpreters (SLIs) who translates all verbal languages into visual languages. Sign language interpretations is a process of translating a spoken language using hand shapes, signs, body gestures and speech to an individual or group of individuals whose organ of hearing is nonfunctional. This process involves the dynamics and interactions between the individual with hearing loss, the speaker and the environment. The activities SLIs are challenging with the receiving, processing and relaying of information processes which occurs in milliseconds and its associated burnout and occupational risks. However, these risks and its associated psychosocial related stress affect the output of the SLIs and the optimum benefit to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. Acknowledging the various challenges of sign language interpretation, this paper projects the prospect and benefit of effective and all encompassing sign language interpretation to the psychosocial well being of the deaf and hard of hearing population in Nigeria and the entire Africa when Sign Language Interpreters are given optimum attention and priority by the government, society and even the deaf/hard of hearing community.

1. Olufemi T. Adigun
Department of Special Education
University of Ibadan, Nigeria
and
Oladipupo ‘Wumi Omobosola
Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo,
Oyo State, Nigeria

2. The ability to respond to the auditory-verbal stimulus is an
important phenomenon with a great implication on the
existence of human being and on the interpersonal
relationship that exist among members of the society.
The sense of hearing is one of the indispensable sense organ
but when it is defective; communication becomes difficult
via oral-aural mode and therefore, poses a great danger to
the psychosocial development of an individual.
Conditions associated with hearing disabilities according to
Oyewumi (2013) is referred to as hearing impairment.
Hearing impairment is a generic term that includes the deaf
and hard-of-hearing whose hearing loss ranges from mild to
profound.

3. Peer rejection and some difficulty while attempting to
develop some necessary social skills;
rejection or subtle denials by parents, family members
or the community at large;
hostility from their counterparts with normal hearing;
suffers from both inherent and interpersonal
malfunction and;
are more likely to experience adolescence related
problems far much more than that encountered by
his/her hearing peers.

4. Due to communication limitation, deaf and hard of
hearing suffer relatively more when compared to their
hearing peers because they lack the ability to fully
integrate themselves into the world of hearing.
For the deaf and hard of hearing, his or her hearing
classmate, the teacher (regular or special) and other
members of the society, choosing the most effective
and acceptable communication medium is perhaps the
greatest hurdle to crack, hence, there is need for a Sign
Language Interpreter (SLI) who will enhance effective
communication between the hearing society and
individuals who are Deaf/hard of hearing.

5. Sign Language Interpreters (Professionals,
Skilled, Certified, conveys information to
the deaf and hard of hearing through total
communication)
‘Hearing’ society
(Uses spoken
language)
Deaf/Hard of
hearing (Uses visual
language)

6. 1
•Negative societal attitude towards persons with hearing loss
2
•Lack of Sign language education and training
3
•Stress and burnout
4
•Oral-manual controversy
5
•Cultural diversity and language differences

7. Over the years, researchers such as Bat-chava (2000);
Scheetz (2004); Ademokoya (2008) and Oyewumi
(2013) have advocated for inclusive society, proper
education and all round development for the deaf/hard of
hearing. It is quiet unfortunate that such call may not be
effective without the impact of Sign Language
Interpreters who will bridge the communication gap
between the deaf/hard of hearing and the non-sign
language users.
The Sign Language Interpreters are no doubt an
intermediary and a best friend to those individuals who
communicate via the visual language approach.

8. Public
awareness and
enlightenment
Sign Language
Interpreter
Education and
Training
Recognition
of Sign
Language
Interpreters

9. This slide have summarily present the situation
around persons who are deaf/hard of hearing
in Africa using the Nigeria context and also
revealed the challenges faced by Sign
Language Interpreters. It has also itemized
three (3) major ways by which the challenges
can be curtailed and eliminated so as to give
need assistance to the psychosocial need of
persons with hearing loss.