THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

This chapter presents the introduction, background of the study, frameworks,

statement of the problem, research hypothesis, significance of the study, scope and

limitations, operational definitions to provide an overview of the problem and its setting

to the audience.

INTRODUCTION

Sign language is a visual form of communication that involves hand gestures,

facial expressions, and body language. It is widely accepted as a legitimate language,

particularly within deaf communities. However, the tourism and hospitality industries

often overlook the importance of sign language. This neglect results in persons with

disabilities being excluded from fully enjoying tourist experiences that are readily

available to those without disabilities. In addition to mobility limitations, there is a lack

of facilities and services tailored to the visually impaired, as well as a lack of

consideration for other forms of impairment (Swanepoel, Spencer, & Draper, 2020).

Communication barriers are one reason why there are hindrances between

tourism and hospitality workers and tourists. That is why there are foreign languages

provided in the curriculum of students in their year of college to have a wide knowledge

in terms of language. However, in the Philippines, including Far Eastern University

(FEU) and the prominent top four universities, namely the University of the Philippines

(UP), Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU), De La Salle University (DLSU), and the

University of Santo Tomas (UST), there is no availability of sign language courses.

However, international tours were not only experiencing a communication

barrier but also PWD such as muted and deaf. According to Chikuta et al. (2017), the

market for disabled tourists is significant and growing globally, yet there is limited

knowledge about how tour guides interact with them. Being able to cater to people who
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are deaf or hard of hearing will be beneficial in the tourism and hospitality industries.

Knowing American Sign Language (ASL) can greatly enhance the guest experience

by making them feel at ease. Understanding and using American Sign Language (ASL)

allows a tourism and hospitality worker to show a commitment to accessibility and

inclusivity, which are highly valued by guests. Additionally, it helps communicate

effectively with hard-of-hearing guests, resulting in a welcoming and inclusive

environment.

In making a more accessible world to impaired beings, it is important to pursue

and acknowledge inclusivity in colleges and universities, as well as in the tourism

industry or any other social institutions of life. One that greatly corresponds to this idea

is the increasing percentage of learners who are continuously taught about American

Sign Language (ASL) which is stated to be “the third most commonly taught language

at American colleges and universities— and is among the most used languages in the

United States” (Gonzales, 2021). Bringing to society the norm of utilizing sign language

as an avenue of communication in the service industry uplifts not only the chance for

PWDs in working context, but likewise gives them a platform to empower those with

the same lifetime situation.

For a world that is venturing through the ever-changing and inclusive society,

this transformative notion should embark on journeys these people go through in their

day-to-day living, creating a deeper understanding of limitations and poor opportunities

served to them. If given so, a new world will be born, fostering a life without bounded

chances that is always seeking for equity.

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Sign language has transformed the way of communicating with various people

in society, helping to break the barriers for sign language users in the industry (Rastgoo

et al., 2021). Each sign language has its own set of signs, with variations in hand
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shape, motion profile, and location of the hand, face, and body components

contributing to each sign. In fact, there are over three hundred (300) sign languages

globally. However, hearing impaired individuals are facing challenges in the tourism

and hospitality industries, as not all enterprises utilize this as a form of communication;

hence, most of them do not have access to information.

In the Philippine context, there have been small measures requiring tourism

stakeholders to use basic sign language to intensify inclusivity and equality, but this

still lacks proper implementation from the Department of Tourism (DOT) (Lamasan,

2022). However, there are no universities that teach basic sign language as an elective

course for students in the country. As a result, most of the PWD community is left

behind and continues to face discrimination.

The tourism industry serves as a beacon for tourist satisfaction because it

builds a service-centered approach for customers. The eradication of sign language

communication has been a significant form of repression against the deaf community.

This prejudice is an illustration of "audism" (Bragg, D. et al., 2019). This remains a

challenge for tourism professionals to communicate with these kinds of clients because

they themselves do not know the proper way of responding. Moreover, with the help

of these enhancements in communication, not only will it develop strong customer

relations and satisfaction inside the tourism industry but also compensate for a deeper

understanding of how significant it would be for the speechless and the hearing

impaired to be heard and recognized.

The researchers see this as a milestone for the tourism industry to develop in

catering to customer needs and wants; putting this in the curriculum of future tourism

professionals would greatly impact the accessibility of tourism in the future. Aside from

the foreign languages that the tourism students learn in their colleges, the higher-ups

should also learn the fundamentals of using sign languages and applying them to the
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industry. Furthermore, this could potentially enrich their ability to learn and excel as

they strive to comprehend the experiences and perspectives of individuals who are

impaired in hearing and are speechless.

There is an evident gap in the realm of higher education, particularly within the

top echelons of universities in the Philippines. It is notable that some of the most

prestigious institutions, such as Far Eastern University (FEU), along with Ateneo de

Manila University (ADMU), the University of the Philippines (UP), De La Salle

University (DSLSU), and the University of Santo Tomas, have not yet incorporated

American Sign Language (ASL) as part of their curricular offerings. While ASL has

gained recognition as a vital mode of communication for the Deaf community, its

absence in these institutions highlights a significant oversight in the commitment to

inclusive education. This raises pertinent questions about the accessibility and

inclusivity of higher education and warrants a comprehensive investigation into the

reasons behind the absence of ASL programs at these universities. To address this,

this study aims to explore the underlying factors and potential solutions for integrating

ASL into the curricula of these institutions.

The researchers came up with this study to gain a deeper comprehension of

the importance of the sign language courses within the tourism and hospitality industry

that aims to assist individuals with PWD tourists who engage in tourism activities. With

the knowledge that this study provides, the researcher aims to gain a more profound

understanding on how sign language courses contribute to promoting effective

communication and fostering a sense of inclusivity for PWD tourists. The researchers

anticipate that the findings of the study will undoubtedly contribute to the overall

comprehension of the significant part that sign language courses play in ensuring that

individuals who are impaired in hearing and speechlessness can fully engage in and

enjoy their tourism experiences.

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THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

Sign Language Research and Linguistic Theory

This study indicates that linguistics is a language in terms of speech and sign

language labeled as a non-linguistic system. Also, it examines the historical bias

linguistic theory has maintained towards sign languages and refutes the classification

of sign languages. Nevertheless, in modern linguistics, sign language is already

included. An increasing amount of research on American Sign Language shows that,

despite its visual-spatial mode, sign language can have all the structure (Evans, n.d.).

levels of spoken language. It displays that sign language is part of the language that

can be used nowadays. According to Onyeije (2021), sign language creates a

connection between people and the world of people with hearing loss or verbal

communication difficulties. Acknowledging the importance of sign language will help

other people, such as the tourism and hospitality industries, effectively accommodate

a person with hard-of-hearing guests or persons with disabilities (PWD).

Linguistic theory scrutinizes the structure and features of sign language as a

form of communication, considering it as a counterpart avenue of communication. This

theory plays a crucial role in advancing the understanding of cognitive and cultural

aspects of deaf communities, ensuring the establishment of inclusivity inside and

outside the community of deaf. This has shed light on the universality of linguistic

principles and challenges traditional notions of language as solely a spoken or written

form of communication. Since the acknowledgement of its sense, it has led to a scope

of theories created from a single notion: the (1) Semantic theory, (2) Morphological

theory, and (3) Syntax. Greg Evans (1986) cited three theories corresponding to the

initial to create an extensive foundation of the study, and likewise present flawed and

uncoordinated research of theorists that balances the overall structure of the study.
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CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

This study aims to analyze and prove the relation of the independent and

dependent variables it has gathered throughout the research process, moreover, to

make use of the Linguistic theory the researcher has started to gather qualitative data

first before proceeding the quantitative data gathering procedure. Furthermore, this

would result in the studies main objective in which implementing Sign Language as a

tourism course in college for inclusivity and accessibility.

INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

1. Demographic profile The results show

Interview with
of the that Sign Language
Tourism
respondents. could be implemented
Professionals and
2. Identifying Dependent as a course in the
Sign Language
and Independent Tourism and
Professionals.
Variable Hospitality Industry to
• Dependent Distribute the Survey aid the concerns of
Dependent Questionnaires with PWD tourists.
Variable students around U-
- Scores in the Belt.
Survey
Questionnaire Analyze the data.
• Independent
Variable
-The professions
of each
respondents in
this study (e.g.
Teacher, Student
with a disability or
a family member
with a disability,

Figure 1.1 Conceptual Framework of the

Study
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and Tourism
Professional)

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The general problem addressed in this study is the need to improve

accessibility and inclusivity for persons with disabilities (PWD) within the tourism and

hospitality industry, considering the demographics and specific needs of this diverse

group of visitors. Solely, it focuses on the integration of sign language courses to

facilitate effective communication and enhance the overall tourist experience for PWD.

The researchers aim to specifically answer the following:

1. What is the profile of the respondents in terms of:

1.1 Age,

1.2 Institutions

2. Will providing sign language training for tourism and hospitality staff improve the

communication and satisfaction of PWD tourists, given their diverse

demographics?
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3. How can offering a sign language course for PWD tourists improve the

accessibility and inclusivity of services in the tourism and hospitality industry?

4. How will the incorporation of sign language, tailored to the different groups of

PWD tourists, help to create a more inclusive and accommodating environment

within the tourism industry?

RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

There is a significant relationship between the respondent's assessment of sign

language courses in the tourism and hospitality industries to address PWD tourists.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The findings of this research will have positive implications for:

Person/s with disability (PWD) will receive better understanding and better

services from the tourism and hospitality industry, ensuring that their needs are met

appropriately.

Tourism and Hospitality Industry will serve as a platform for collaboration

between the hospitality sector and the deaf community, leading to the development of

solutions that benefit both communities. This study represents a valuable effort to

support the growth of these industries.

Tourism and hospitality students may use this study to gain insights into

effective communication strategies, both verbal and nonverbal, that will be beneficial

when working with tourists who are deaf or mute.

The Academic Community will serve to provide in-depth knowledge of how

education in sign language will benefit the deaf community and the travel industry.
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Local Government Units (LGUs) may use this study as a tool for barangays

to create programs that shall further support the person/s with disabilities and enlighten

the community.

Future Researchers may use this as a source or reference for their studies

and serve as a foundation which can improve the research and contribute to society.

SCOPE AND LIMITATION

This study aims to focus on implementing sign language courses in the

tourism and hospitality industries in the University Belt (U -Belt). The data

collection will be conducted randomly with one hundred tourism professionals,

sign language professionals, or selected students with a disability or a family

member with a disability at a college university in the University Belt (U -Belt)

for the academic year 2023-2024.

Furthermore, this research will not extend to other languages, such as

Filipino Sign Language. However, it will highlight the importance of

understanding the interconnection. By focusing on the needs and perspectives

of individuals with disabilities (PWDs), this study will contribute to the

advancement of the industry as a whole.