Solutions from Ukraine: Skvot online school launches first graphic design course in sign language

The graphic design course offered by Skvot, an online school specializing in popular culture, will include dedicated modules on acquiring initial clients and career development. Additionally, students will be able to build their first portfolio, which will aid them in seeking future employment within the industry.

Skvot reports this.

What is the problem?

Individuals with hearing impairments frequently encounter challenges accessing quality education, particularly in creative fields. Consequently, they face significant barriers in professional development and career advancement in inaccessible areas.

What is the solution?

Recognizing that creative professions should be accessible to everyone, Skvot, the online school of popular culture, is launching its sign language course for the second time. The free "Graphic Designer" course, tailored for individuals with hearing impairments, will commence on March 17. The course will feature lectures from designer Yuliia Zamiatina, who, along with her team, has crafted approximately 50 identities and packaging designs and won two silver medals at Ukraine's The Very Best Of awards. Art director Vova Klimyk, known for his work on the award-winning projects Motherland Pride and Carol for Charity, which garnered Cannes Lions, will also be instructing.

Nataliia Kravtsova, head of the All-Ukrainian Association of Sign Language Interpreters, translated each lesson into sign language. Nataliia will also accompany students throughout the course in communicating with the lecturers.

How does it work?

During the course, students will learn to work with Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, understand the basics of composition, color and typography, and practice on actual tasks of a graphic designer.

Training on the course will be held in two formats. First format:

• recorded lectures with sign language interpretation, subtitles, and voiceover;
• homework and feedback from lecturers;
• work on a project for an actual client at the end of the course;
• support from a sign language interpreter.

The number of places is limited.

Second format:

• recorded lectures with sign language interpretation;
• homework without feedback from lecturers;
• support from a sign language interpreter.

The number of places is also unlimited.

You need to apply on the website to get a place in the course.

Students who choose the first training format with feedback will be able to work on a case for a real client, Uklon. Skvot will help the best students with their job search.

This is the second sign language course from Skvot, because the school's mission is to make creative professions not a privilege, but an available option for everyone. Previously, Skvot released a sign language course "Photo Retouching", where it taught new skills to 420 students.

The following plans are courses in illustration and art directions.

For reference:

The SLAIT school, which started as a sign language interpreter with artificial intelligence, created an interactive tutor that helps learn sign language. Students have access to lectures, dictionaries, and illustrations.

It was also reported that the NGO "Vidchui" in partnership with Visa created a Telegram channel for learning Ukrainian sign language.