A language-learning app for Irish Sign Language
Project Name
Focal Lámh
Industry
App
My Role
UX and UI design
Overview
I designed a Duolingo-style app for learning Irish Sign Language (ISL).
ISL has been recognised in law as a native language of the State since 2020, and around 50,000 people use it day to day, around 5,000 of them native Deaf signers. Most language apps are built around sound and spelling. A sign language has neither.
Learning a sign language presents a different set of challenges from learning a spoken language. Signs rely on handshape, movement, position and facial expression, making visual demonstration essential. Learners need to understand not only what a sign means, but how it is performed and how to recognise it in context.
Existing ISL learning resources include structured classes, online courses and visual dictionaries. For example, the Irish Deaf Society provides accredited and non-accredited courses, while IrishDeaf.com offers self-paced online learning. These demonstrate that learners can access ISL through several established formats, although the available evidence does not establish that these options fail to meet learners' needs.
The opportunity I explored was whether a familiar, gamified mobile experience could make independent learning more engaging and accessible, particularly for hearing people learning ISL to communicate with people close to them.
