Definition: German Sign Language (Deutsche Gebärdensprache, DGS) is the visual language of Deaf people in Germany, with its own grammar and vocabulary, expressed through the hands, face and body. German law recognises it as a language in its own right (section 6 of the Disability Equality Act, BGG) [1].
German: Deutsche Gebärdensprache · Abbreviation: DGS · Last reviewed: 27 September 2026
Why captions are not enough
Many hearing people assume Deaf people simply read along. But for many of them sign language is their first language and written German a second one. Long, convoluted text is as hard going for them as a technical text in a foreign language is for a hearing reader. Captions and plain language help, but they do not replace DGS.
DGS is not German spelt out in signs, either. Its word order and grammar differ, and there are regional variants. Other countries have their own sign languages: Austria has ÖGS, Switzerland DSGS among others, the UK BSL.
How DGS gets onto a website
- Sign language videos: an interpreter or a Deaf person signs the content. The video sits beside the text or on a page of its own.
- Signposting: a consistent icon leads to the videos. The link still needs a text name, such as "Information in German Sign Language".
- Quality: the videos are made or checked with Deaf people. Automated signing avatars are not yet an equivalent.
The videos must be accessible too: a player that works by keyboard, no autoplay with sound, good lighting and a calm background.
When a German website must offer it
Federal public bodies must provide explanations in German Sign Language and in Easy Language on their homepage – on the main content, how to use the site and what else is available in those languages (BITV 2.0 s. 4) [2]. The federal states set their own rules for their bodies. What companies must do is covered by the law entries in this glossary, such as the BFSG. WCAG 2.2 covers sign language in success criterion 1.2.6, at Level AAA [3].
How Reviseberg handles it
Whether sign language videos exist, are understandable and are well made is something no automated check can judge – and Reviseberg does not try. It checks the surroundings: whether links and controls have a name, whether media starts playing sound on its own and – on the keyboard agent's journey – whether everything can be reached by keyboard. The quality of the translation is for Deaf reviewers to judge.
Related terms
Captions · Easy Language · Plain language · BITV 2.0 · Disability Equality Act (BGG)