| Switzerland Swiss Federation of the Deaf (SGB-FSS) Established: 1946 Address: Oerlikonerstrasse 98, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland E-mail: info-d@sgb-fss.ch Fax: (+41) 44 315 50 47 Phone: (+41) 44 315 50 40 Website link: www.sgb-fss.ch
Details of the Board President: Roland Hermann (D) Board Members: Donald Shelton (D), Pascal Lambiel (HoH), Dragana Ristic (D), Orazio Lucioni (D), Lobsang Pangi (D)
Details of the Staff Executive Directors: Andreas Janner (D) SGB-FSS Zurich (German Speaking Region), Stéphane Faustinelli (D) SGB-FSS Lausanne (French Speaking Region), Tiziana Rimoldi (H) SGB-FSS Lugano (Italian Speaking Region) Other staff: 47 permanently employed in work place (26 full time and 21 part-time), 37 Sign language instructors and 11 sign language instructor trainees. 79 Deaf staff employees, 17 Hearing staff employees working for 3 linguistic regions.
Statistics General Population of your country? (Including hearing people) 7,700,000 Official or approximate figures of the number of Deaf people living in your country? Approx. 10,000 Deaf and 500,000 Hard of Hearing Official or approximate numbers of Deaf people who use sign language as their primary language? Approx. 5,000 incl. HoH How many people are members of the NAD? 1,500 Does your National Association of the Deaf publish any magazine or newsletters for your members? Yes, in three written languages. Does your National Association of the Deaf have Youth section? Yes, Swiss Deaf Youth (SDY) http://www.sdy.ch/web/en/Home
Status of Sign Language Is Sign Language legally recognised as part of your Government's constitution? There are four national languages in Switzerland (Swiss German, Swiss French, Swiss Italian and Romansch language). The Federal Constitution states: Freedom of languages; the Canton Zurich Constitution also refers to the freedom of using languages as well as sign language. There are several laws to mentioning sign language: For example the law to facilitate sign language interpreting on television (news broadcasting) and the disability equality law. Is there any campaign to get sign language legally recognised? We do direct and indirect lobbying work. Our priority within our Swiss legal system is that access is more important than just legally recognising sign language.
Status of Sign Language Interpreters Approximate number of qualified sign language interpreters: 86 (48 Swiss German, 29 Swiss French, 9 Swiss Italian) Details of training centre/courses: Zurich University of Applied Science (HfH), Swiss German language, Bachelor of Arts in Sign language Interpreting 4 year training on a part time study basis (2 days a week & 12 Block weeks & Internship) ETI (University of Geneva)- the last training based on the Continuing Education Certificate programme (2 year part time). Now it is being revised to match the Bologna University system.
Technology Does your country provide Video Interpreting Service? Yes, we are working on it with PROCOM. If not, when will it be implemented? Starting in early 2009.
Universities/Sign Language Units Are there any Universities that deals with Sign Language? (Deaf Studies, Linguistics, Interpreting) Zurich University of Applied Science (HfH), part time sign language instructor training ( AGSA) and Bachelor of Arts in sign language interpretin
Deaf Schools Number of Deaf Schools: 6 Swiss German will be 5 Schools, 1 School for only Hard of Hearing and CI, 1 Bilingual Program Class 3 Swiss French, Swiss Italian 0 all integrated with Communication Assistants. Education method (Sign Language, Oral or other methods): Audio Verbal, Signs in German orders, Cued Speech (only in French speaking Region in the integrated schools).
History of the NAD Who are the most important people in your country's history? Alfred Bacher, Founder, Jean Brielmann, Markus Huser, Felix Urech, Marie-Louise Fournier, Beat Kleeb.
Last updated: 24 August 2010 |
