Social inclusion and the use of sign language inset during the 2019 Philippine SONA

Abstract

This phenomenological study, guided by Radcliffe-(1881–1955) Brown's Structural Functionalism Theory, investigated how sign language inset was used for social inclusion during the 2019 Philippine State of the Nation Address on GMA Network, Inc. Eight participants' lived experiences were examined through in-depth interviews. Four major themes emerged: exposure and familiarization with the deaf community culture, which is the Filipino Sign Language (FSL); adjustment of the TV inset size for deaf visual signs recognition and understanding; validation of TV insets interpreting with a deaf consultant; accessibility to communication through clear policy and guidelines of TV inset interpreting. The study concludes that even though the sign language interpreters use FSL, we can only elicit social inclusion by adjusting the size of the TV inset; since the sign language insets require the visual signs of the SLIs, which include hand gestures and facial expressions. Moreover, a better understanding of the signs that consider both schooled and non-schooled Deaf requires the exposure and familiarization of SLIs with the deaf culture. Meanwhile, TV networks should consider adjusting the size of the TV inset, hiring a deaf consultant to validate signing, and ensuring deaf access to communication to integrate them socially. Sign language inset implementation requires a model to follow structurally to be functional.