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Most studies on D/deaf education focus on children who are in their scholar years. This follows both the trend in pedagogical studies, which have seen a great improvements in the past 40 years, and the desire/need to prepare teachers of the D/deaf to provide these children with the best possible means to face adult life. This trend is present in many countries, Italy as well, where the growing interest towards sign language is intertwined with the need to provide special needs teachers with updated information on how to teach to their students. The result is a growing interest towards all possible means of social inclusion, and the recognition of sign language as a priviledged code to communicate with deaf people. The evolution of the national laws on special education, and the formal recognition of Italian sign language, seem to reflect this change of mindset. However, while the formation of educators to the needs of D/deaf children is improving, a generational gap remains between those who were educated in special schools (now aged 40+), adults who were educated without having a specialized professional to refer to (aged between 30-40), and young adults who had all the possible opportunities to improve their abilities but still struggle to overcome linguistic or socio-cultural barriers to professionally improve in the adult’s world. This paper will cover the specific situation of lifelong learning in Italian and foreign D/deaf adults, offering a picture on D/deaf lifelong learning in Italy and Europe.

Starting in 2011, the adaptation of the Common European Framework of Reference for languages (CEFR) to sign language became a priority for many organisations in Europe. Among these, the State Institute for the Deaf worked on its adaptation for Italian Sign Language within the EU-funded SignLEF project. One year later, the joint effort of few institutions specialised in sign language education gave light to the ProSign project, funded by the European Centre for Modern Language. The findings coming from these and other projects converged towards the development of a companion volume for CEFR, published in 2018, including descriptors for sign language education. In this paper, I present an overview of the growth in the awareness of CEFR for LIS education as well as the political and cultural changes occurred since its adoption in 2011. A unique idea, research project, and design experience made by deaf and hearing professionals with the aim to inform Sign Language education, and to adapt and include it in deaf education and the workplace. A partir de 2011, la adaptación del Marco Común Europeo de Referencia de las lenguas (MCER) a la lengua de señas se convirtió en una prioridad para muchas organizaciones en Europa. Entre ellos, el Instituto Estatal para Sordos trabajó en su adaptación a la Lengua de Señas Italiana dentro del proyecto SignLEF financiado por la UE. Un año después, el esfuerzo conjunto de algunas instituciones especializadas en la enseñanza de la lengua de señas dio luz al proyecto ProSign, financiado por el Centro Europeo de Lenguas Modernas. Los hallazgos provenientes de estos y otros proyectos convergieron en el desarrollo de un volumen complementario para el MCER, publicado en 2018, que incluye descriptores para la educación en lengua de señas. En este documento, presento una descripción general del aumento de la concienciación sobre el MCER para la educación LIS, así como los cambios políticos y culturales ocurridos desde su adopción en 2011. Una idea única, un proyecto de investigación y una experiencia de diseño realizada por profesionales sordos y oyentes con el objetivo de informar sobre la educación de Lenguas de Señas, y su adaptación e inclusión en la educación de sordos y en el ambiente de trabajo. A partir de 2011, a adaptação do Quadro Europeu Comum de Referência das línguas (QECR) para a língua de sinais tornou-se uma prioridade para muitas organizações na Europa. Entre eles, o Instituto Estadual para Surdos trabalhou em sua adaptação para a Língua de Sinais Italiana dentro do projeto SignLEF financiado pela UE. Um ano depois, o esforço conjunto de algumas instituições especializadas no ensino da língua de sinais deu luz ao projeto ProSign, financiado pelo Centro Europeu de Língua Moderna. As descobertas provenientes desses e de outros projetos convergiram para o desenvolvimento de um volume complementar para o QECR, publicado em 2018, incluindo descritores para o ensino da língua de sinais. Neste artigo, apresento uma visão geral do crescimento da conscientização do QECR para a educação da LIS, bem como as mudanças políticas e culturais ocorridas desde sua adoção em 2011. Uma ideia única, projeto de pesquisa e experiência de desenho feita por profissionais surdos e ouvintes com o objetivo de informar sobre a educação em Língua de Sinais, sua adaptação e inclusão na educação de surdos e no ambiente de trabalho.

Purpose: In this paper, the accessibility of e-learning environments designed for deaf learners is discussed. Starting from a discussion of the meaning of text and web accessibility, the paper describes the development of a Deaf-centered E-Learning Environment (DELE) which focusing on utilizing the visual skills of the target users. This work is conducted under the auspices of the Italian FIRB-VISEL project (E-Learning, Deafness, Written Language: A Bridge of Letters and Signs Towards Knowledge Society) which involves the development of a distance learning environment aimed at improving the literacy skills of prelingual deaf children and young adults. Design/methodology/approach: The e-learning environment is based on embodied cognition/semantics, imitation, storytelling, and the construction of educational games. Conceptual metaphors provide the browsing structure of the entire environment, in which the learning paths are developed. Findings: DELE is currently undergoing testing in which end-users are providing feedback about their use of the system. Social implications: The authors think that DELE could positively affect the didactic methodology used with deaf young people, through a new visual-based approach to teaching. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first time in which such a theoretical approach has been applied to an e-learning environment for deaf users. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.