Educational influences on language contact and variation in sign languages: A critical review

Abstract

This paper provides a critical review of how educational systems shape language contact and variation within Deaf communities, with a specific focus on Zimbabwe, South Africa, and the United States. The review synthesizes scholarly literature published from 2000 to the present, selected for its direct relevance to the intersection of educational policy, sign language linguistics, and Deaf community practices in these three national contexts. Drawing on this body of research, the review explores a central question: how do the formal educational settings for Zimbabwe Sign Language (ZSL), South African Sign Language (SASL), and American Sign Language (ASL) influence linguistic standardization and variation among Deaf students? It systematically examines the implications of these processes for three key areas: interpreter training, cultural identity, and linguistic diversity. The review finds that while formal education facilitates language acquisition and social integration, it often simultaneously marginalizes regional and home-based sign language varieties, creating a tension between standardized “school” signs and community-based dialects. This is compounded by inadequate interpreter training—a critical issue in Zimbabwe—which fails to equip interpreters to navigate these complex socio-linguistic realities. Ultimately, the paper argues for a paradigm shift towards more inclusive, context-sensitive educational and interpreter training models that are explicitly designed to account for and sustain the inherent linguistic plurality within Deaf communities.