South Africa’s digital future cannot be inclusive while Deaf communities remain excluded from the technologies shaping communication, education, and healthcare. The University of the Free State (UFS) is now working to change that by driving collaboration around a groundbreaking South African Sign Language (SASL) innovation project supported by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC).

The initiative, ‘Inclusive Artificial Intelligence: Building Capacity and Technology for South African Sign Language Innovation, Translation, and Training’, led by Dr Herkulaas Combrink, Co-Director of the Interdisciplinary Centre for Digital Futures (ICDF) and Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, aims to strengthen South Africa’s human language technology landscape by creating tools, training programmes and resources that include Deaf communities in the innovation of digital communication. 

Following a recent strategic engagement between the ICDF and DSAC representatives at the UFS, the project is entering a new phase focused on collaboration, stakeholder engagement, and expanding societal impact.

“Inclusive digital futures demand that no community remains invisible. Advancing South African Sign Language (SASL) innovation is central to building equitable, responsive societies,” said Prof Vasu Reddy, UFS Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies. “At the University of the Free State, we recognise that responsible innovation begins with collaboration, and that is possible by bringing together government, academia, industry, and Deaf communities to co-create meaningful solutions.”

Addressing digital exclusion through collaboration

Although digital technologies continue to reshape education, healthcare, and communication globally, very few tools currently exist for SASL users. One of the first projects under this initiative is a SASL medical terminology guide that will serve as a toolkit for patients who have lost the ability to speak. It will enable patients to communicate efficiently with healthcare professionals by pointing at pictures in the guide. 

According to Dr Combrink, one of the key outcomes of the recent engagement was the need to strengthen the project’s visibility and deepen collaboration with Deaf communities and national organisations such as DeafSA.

“The outcomes of the meeting were how we should strengthen visibility of the project with Deaf communities and national boards – including DeafSA, and other projects funded by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture so that we can collaborate with communities, other institutions, and industry,” he said.

Dr Combrink added that the department expressed a strong commitment to supporting the initiative’s broader societal impact.

“The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture wants to support strengthening the societal impact of the project, and ideas for strengthening impact were discussed. For this project, the department will assist in their capacity to facilitate and support this impact,” he said.

Prof Reddy echoed these views: “This initiative speaks directly to our commitment to responsible societal futures, where ethical AI and language technologies enable dignity, access, and participation for all. By investing in SASL research and training, we are shaping the next generation of scholars and innovators to solve real societal challenges.” 

Building partnerships for inclusive innovation

Dr Combrink emphasised that inclusive language technologies require coordinated collaboration across sectors. “The project resides within the Interdisciplinary Centre for Digital Futures at the UFS, and it is vital that we collaborate internally within the UFS, as well as with our government partners, industry partners, and community stakeholders,” he said.

“The triple helix model – government, academia, and industry – is needed to address some of the critical challenges this project will undertake. This project is aligned with the societal vision driven by various government and institutional goals, including responsible data sovereignty, responsible data use, and developing human language technologies for South African Sign Language.”

Prof Reddy added, “True transformation lies in centring community voices in innovation, ensuring technologies are not only advanced but relevant, accessible, and socially just.”

Creating opportunities for students and future researchers

Beyond technological innovation, the initiative is expected to create new opportunities for student development and interdisciplinary research at the UFS. This support facilitates several projects linked to digital futures, artificial intelligence, and language technologies.

“The funding enables bursaries as well as research projects with students. This research also ensures that South African Sign Language research has a place in the technology and STEM landscape,” Dr Combrink said.

Students participating in the initiative will work alongside government, industry, and community stakeholders, gaining exposure to collaborative research environments focused on solving real societal challenges.

“These projects allow the UFS to align with the research agenda not just of the university, but of the country and the broader Sustainable Development Goals, specifically equitable education and the future of work,” he added.