The Government Information Center

According to the census conducted in Sri Lanka in year 2012, the number of hearing impaired or semi hearing impaired persons in the country is 389,077 and the number of persons with communication disorders is 180,833. The medium of communication for the provision of educational, social, cultural services as well as medical, health and legal faciltiies to them is the sign language. The cabinet of ministers took a policy decision to accept the sign language as a language on 05.09.2010.

Currently, there are 06 sign language interpreters attached to the Department to provide sign language interpretation service. Public sector institutions can procure the services of these interpreters when necessary to communicate with the hearing impaired. Eg:- Police stations, courts, hospitals and other public sector institutions.

Further, the services of our sign language interpreters are made available during the main news bulletin of the National Television telecast at 8.00 p.m.