Human Rights Commission Recommends Communication Support for Hearing-Impaired Teachers to Education Superintendents

The National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) has issued a recommendation that communication accommodations, such as text interpretation, must be provided to teachers with hearing impairments.

On the 13th, the NHRCK recommended that the superintendents of 14 metropolitan and provincial offices of education nationwide identify whether there are teachers with severe hearing impairments or those who do not receive communication work support through the Korea Employment Agency for the Disabled, and prepare and implement specific budgets and plans to ensure they receive appropriate support.

Earlier, after receiving a complaint that communication accommodations were not provided to hearing-impaired teachers at the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, the NHRCK conducted a survey of other metropolitan and provincial offices of education. The investigation confirmed that teachers in other regions also experienced difficulties in communication during classes, parent consultations, and training sessions.

The superintendents of each metropolitan and provincial office of education responded, stating, "Since 2021, the Korea Employment Agency for the Disabled has been lending assistive technology devices to public officials, including teachers with hearing impairments," and added, "Providing text and sign language interpreters requires a considerable budget."

However, the NHRCK judged that support from the Korea Employment Agency for the Disabled is limited to teachers with severe disabilities, and that less than 10% of the total teachers with hearing impairments (300 individuals) have utilized the system. Additionally, the assistive devices provided by the agency have reduced accuracy in noisy environments, making it difficult for teachers to communicate smoothly in their work settings.

The NHRCK emphasized, "To improve the discriminatory work environment for teachers with hearing impairments, assistive devices or work support alone are insufficient," and stated, "Providing communication accommodations through professionally qualified text interpreters or sign language interpreters is essential."

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