The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has begun developing its first Kenya Sign Language glossary for tax, customs and systems terminology, a move aimed at making tax information easier to access and understand for deaf and hard-of-hearing Kenyans.
The glossary is being developed through a workshop that has brought together KRA, disability organisations, sign language experts, education institutions and curriculum developers to establish standard signs for specialised terms used in tax administration.
The initiative brings together the National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), the Kenya Sign Language Research Project at the University of Nairobi, the Kenya Institute of Special Needs Education (KISE), the Kenya Sign Language Interpreters Association (KSLIA), the Kenya National Association of the Deaf (KNAD) and the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD).
KRA said the project is the first of its kind and is intended to address difficulties faced by people who rely on Kenya Sign Language when seeking information on taxation, customs and the authority's systems.
“KRA, alongside the National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), Kenya Sign Language Research Project - University of Nairobi, Kenya Institute of Special Needs Education (KISE), Kenya Sign Language Interpreters Association (KSLIA), Kenya National Association of the Deaf (KNAD), and Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD), commenced a workshop to develop KRA’s first-ever Kenya Sign Language Glossary for tax, systems, and customs terminology.”
The glossary will cover 284 technical terms drawn from different areas of KRA's work. The authority said giving these terms standard Kenya Sign Language signs will help improve tax literacy and make specialised information easier to communicate.
The terms include 115 related to customs, 75 covering BSTEM terminology and 94 focused on domestic taxes.
KRA said the absence of standard signs for some specialised tax terms can make it difficult for information to be communicated clearly, creating room for misunderstanding and different interpretations.
The terminology handbook is therefore expected to provide a common reference for Kenya Sign Language users, tax officials and interpreters dealing with technical tax information.
“As the first initiative of its kind, the terminology handbook aims to promote inclusivity in tax administration, address gaps in functional tax literacy, and minimise miscommunication and misinterpretation of tax terminologies.”
During the workshop, each of the 284 terms will be matched with an appropriate Kenya Sign Language sign. The selected signs will then be recorded to create a reference that can be used to support consistent communication.
“By the end of the workshop, 284 terms will be covered, comprising 115 Customs terms, 75 BSTEM terms, and 94 Domestic Taxes terms. Each term will be assigned an appropriate sign, which will be recorded to support consistent and accessible communication of tax information.”
The participants include government agencies, education and curriculum institutions, as well as organisations representing deaf people and professionals working in Kenya Sign Language.
Through the glossary, KRA seeks to make technical tax language easier to communicate and understand among people who use Kenya Sign Language. The initiative is also expected to help officials and interpreters use common signs when handling tax-related information.
KRA said the project forms part of efforts to make public services more inclusive by improving access to information for people with different communication needs.