Austria
National Sign Language
Österreichische Gebärdensprache (ÖGS)
In English: Austrian Sign Language
Language Status: 5 (Developing). Recognized language (2000, Constitution, Section 8(3) as amended).
Legal Recognition
"Sign Language Legislation in the European Union", Wheatley, M., A. Pabsch., Edition II. Brussels, EUD, 2012
"Austria is one of the four countries in Europe to have mentioned the national sign language in its Federal Constitution. Austrian Sign Language (ÖGS) was finally recognised as a language in its own right on 1 September 2005."
"Sign language is recognised as the main means of communication between deaf persons and others. There are government measures to encourage media and other forms of public information for making their services accessible to persons with disabilities. Examples are: telephone amplifiers for hearing impaired persons and no telephone charges for deaf persons with a specific telephone set.2 Aids for communication are possible for people with sensory disabilities. All supplementary equipment needed by deaf people for their vocational and private life can be subsidised as can technical equipment. If a deaf person needs a sign language interpreter for essential business (e.g. at an authority, an important contract, a difficult medical investigation) there are benefits to cover the cost."
National Sign Language (Research) Centre
Zentrum für Gebärdensprache und Hörbehindertenkommunikation, Alpen-Adria-Universität Klagenfurt