Community:Sign language in VRChat

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Sign language is a silent method of communication between users in VRChat. There are many users on VRChat who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, and/or are able to communicate through signed languages.

Language support

VRChat supports numerous languages within their User Interface. There are ongoing efforts to support more languages for the platform. In addition, VRChat allows a user to display one's known languages, and signed languages on their bio.

  • English
    • American Sign Language (ASL)
    • Auslan (ASF) [Australian]
    • British Sign Language (BSL)
    • New Zealand Sign Language (NZS)
  • French
    • Langue des signes française (FSL)
  • German
    • Deutsche Gebärdensprache (DSE) [German]
  • Dutch
    • Nederlandse Gebarentaal (GSG) [Netherlands]
  • Japanese
    • 日本手語 (JSL)
  • Korean
    • 한국 수화 언어 (KSL)
  • No Linguistic Content (ZXX)

Sign language methods

A visual demonstration of hand gestures that can be made in VRChat, using Meta and Oculus controllers.

Expressing sign language in VRChat is possible, but can be limited, due to the lack of variation with finger control, such as crossing fingers on controllers. It is also possible to utilize hand and finger tracking within VRChat to communicate better with sign language.

With controllers

Using gestures

By default, using VRChat on controllers will allow access to eight gestures on an avatar. Despite the limitations, interpretations of sign language can still be communicated through these controllers. The eight gestures are as follows:

  • Normal
  • Open (splayed)
  • Victory
  • Point
  • Finger gun
  • Thumbs up
  • Fist
  • Rock 'n' roll

Using these combinations of gestures makes it possible to convey many words, phrases, and sentences to other users.

Without gestures

Some controllers, like the Index Knuckles, do not use gestures. Instead, each controller has sensors for each finger, which can sense each finger to show if it's open, closed, or in between, like a lever. Using a controller in this manner makes it possible to express different words and phrases in sign language, which gestures cannot provide.

It is also optional for other controllers to emulate hand control without gestures in a similar manner, with more limited capability, such as less control on the middle, ring, and little finger.

With hand tracking

VRChat offers hand tracking support for many headsets, which allow for more finesse and versatility using hand and finger movements that controllers cannot replicate.

Communities

Users in the VRChat community have created different groups for deaf, and hard-of-hearing people to gather. Some users in VRChat also teach different sign languages. For example, educational courses and meet-and-greets are hosted by some of these groups, which aim to teach users how to practice communicating in sign language.

Examples of accessibility groups

Examples of accessibility worlds

Official resources

Community resources

Media coverage

There has been some external media coverage regarding sign language within VRChat.

See also