00:00These six-year-old twins are signing their names, using gestures both long and short.
00:13They use a mix of Auslan and tactile signing to interact with their parents.
00:18Hi, my name's Kirstie and this is my sign name, Kirstie.
00:24Hi, my name is Jex and my sign name is Jex. I'm a deafblind person.
00:31The twins are hearing children of deaf adults, also referred to as CODA.
00:37The language Nikita and Aaliyah use to communicate at home is also being used at school.
00:43What's next?
00:44The monkey.
00:46Their class at UKI Public is already learning Auslan.
00:49Giraffes!
00:52They're to the language joining the official state syllabus next year.
00:56I like how we can talk to deaf people.
01:00Whether it's their own name, a favourite colour or something more functional.
01:05What's your favourite word in sign, mate?
01:07Toilet.
01:09Toilet! Can you show us how to do that?
01:13These kids are embracing the basics of Auslan.
01:17I think it's wonderful but I would really like one other thing to be included
01:21and that's hand-over-hand tactile sign language for deafblind people.
01:27It's also given Jex and Kirstie the chance to play a bigger role in their daughters' school lives.
01:33I think it's great. I think it's wonderful that the kids are learning
01:38so I can know what the kids are talking about.
01:41But that doesn't mean they're free of challenges at home.
01:45They can be a little bit cheeky sometimes because they know that we can't hear them talking
01:51and, you know, every now and then we might catch them out.
01:54Monkey poo!
01:56Cheeky and chatty, no matter the language.
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