The Challenge
Today fewer than 1 in 10 of the 64 million parents of deaf or hard of hearing children around the world can use a sign language.
The lack of sign language classes and prohibitive costs leave millions of children unable to communicate with their own families, let alone attend school. Globally, more than 90% of children with severe hearing loss are out of school.
We aim to change this.
Our Solution
SignLab is developing a digital learning platform that makes learning sign languages more accessible, more effective and more affordable.
Our platform can be accessed anywhere, any time, whether online or offline. It can be used by itself, or to accompany classroom learning.
Its integrated videos help users acquire the hand shapes, body language and spatial representation needed to sign fluently, while our AI ensures that signs are not only learnt, but retained over time.
What our USERS SAY
I had not been able to learn sign language before using this app. It is very easy to use.
Recommended for all beginners! ❤️
iOS Review for NSL
Our Impact
Since our launch in Norway in 2019 we have become the leading resource for learning Norwegian Sign Language. Our platform is now used by deaf adults and children, their friends and family, sign language teachers, student interpreters, and language enthusiasts alike.
In 2022 our platform will expand to China, India and Indonesia, thus providing over 60% of the world's deaf population, along with their families, schools and communities with access to a sign language by the end of 2022.
Based on the growth in user numbers we saw in Norway during the 18 months following the app’s launch, more than 400 000 families with deaf children will be able to learn a sign language and so communicate properly with their children.
With the help of NORAD, the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, this project should reach over 4.1 million people, enabling them to learn a sign language for the first time.
We will also expand to France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK.
1m+
signs learned
Since our launch in Norway, we have taught over 1 000 000 signs and sentences in various sign languages.
20k+
users
Over twenty thousand people use our platform in Norway, including over 2000 friends and family members of deaf children.
7+
countries reached by end of 2022
In 2021, we established teams in China, India and Indonesia, with teams in four more countries in the works for 2022.
Special Olympics Winner
In 2019 SignLab won The Special Olympics Innovation Prize for our platform's impact potential.
Zero Project Award 2021
In 2021 SignLab was awarded The Zero Project Award 2021 for how we are transforming how the world learns, and thinks about, sign language.
Selected as a leading UN SDG solution
The Explorer is an initiative from the Norwegian government representing the best of Norway’s sustainable technology.
All solutions on The Explorer are vetted before publication, ensuring high quality and reliability.