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Tertiary education is no longer out of the reach of deaf students in Malaysia – the day Limkokwing University College of Creative Technology opened its doors to such students saw to that.

And now that the university college has seen deaf students graduating from its midst – and easily absorbed into the country’s workforce – it’s only natural that it should want to take further steps in helping the hearing-impaired adapt to campus life.

The Limkokwing Deaf Students Society is the first of its kind in the country and is meant to provide the students with a sense of belonging. It also assists in terms of securing them further education and promoting them as achievers – all in the name of helping them make it in the real world.

There are currently 13 deaf students at Limkokwing, 11 having graduated and gone on to pursue either further education or a career. Most deaf students at Limkokwing are pursuing Graphic Design although here are those keen in fields like journalism.

But it’s no easy task helping the hearing-impaired. In order for them to excel, the right support system must be in place – and at Limkokwing, it is. Like their peers, says deaf tutor Kevin Suy, deaf students at Limkokwing get to immerse in community work as part of their studies – it is something that helps bridge them with other students.

The university college does whatever it can to help these students adapt. Naturally, there would be constraints facing the deaf, but steps are always taken towards minimising these. Limkokwing is, for instance, the only local educational establishment that provides English classes for the deaf via the renowned International House. Language teacher Y.Yogeswari describes the deaf as “technically very visual people”. “During lectures, they have to be shown a lot of flashcards to help them memorise spellings. What takes an hour to teach a hearing student, would take three hours with the hearing-impaired. But the best thing about teaching the deaf is that they are always interested in learning.”

Helping the deaf fit in

Deaf students also count on the hearing to make the process of learning easier and fortunately at Limkokwing, they could count on such kind souls as Olivin Halim. Together with two other friends, Lim Eng Hui and Pamela Kor, Olivia took up sign language in an effort to communicate with their deaf course mates.

It’s this kind of attitude that makes adapting easier for the deaf, according to Suy. “Hearing students can help by learning the sign language. More people using the language would mean easier for the deaf to get around,” he says.

Suy is among those who helped make the Deaf Students Society a reality. “The society is meant to be a platform for deaf students to get together and help each other improve,” he says through an interpreter. “We want to help the hearing understand better the needs of the deaf in order that both could work together to create an environment that is more friendly to the deaf,” he says.

Among other things, the society has plans to invite potential employers to view the works of deaf students on campus and see their ability. “We want to organise events whereby other deaf organisations and even those with different disabilities could come to Limkokwing. Through events organised by the society, hopefully they become inspired to do more to excel,” he elaborates.

Suy would readily vouch for the deaf students at Limkokwing. He says those pursuing Graphic Design and Multimedia “more than meet the required standards”. “That’s why many of our graduates are already working for advertising and other firms,” he explains. “It’s not only because of their experience but also because of their ability to interact and work with the hearing. The Limkokwing environment prepares them well for the industry and the real world.”

Suy foresees the society holding a lot of activities such as camps and workshops in the future, to “broaden their horizons”. “We could look at international students exchange programmes with, say, the US, whereby their deaf students could come over here and we could in turn expose our students over there.”

Marie Tan is another deaf student who found success at Limkokwing. The lass who has since left to pursue her degree in multimedia animation in the UK, says, “Pursuing tertiary education was a challenge for me but the Limkokwing experience was a good one because of the support from tutors and friends.” She says it was not a problem getting her current university to accept her diploma from Limkokwing.