Sign language users define themselves as a cultural and a linguistic minority. Many also see themselves as citizens of the world, bound together by a common way of life and a shared experience of living among the hearing.

Sign language users can be

• deaf
• hard-of-hearing
• hearing

The number of Sign language users can be estimated in many different ways. Sign language users themselves define Sign language being used by

• 4000-5000 Deaf or hard of hearing
• 6000-9000 hearing persons

Currently (5. January 2009) a total of 48 persons have registered Sign language as their native language with the Population Register Centre of Finland.

Finland Swedish Sign language users

The other Sign language used in Finland; Finland Swedish Sign language has for long been considered a dialect of Finnish Sign language. According to the association of the users of Finland Swedish Sign language the language is an independent one. The number of users of the Finland Swedish Sign language is estimated to about 300, of them about 150 are Deaf.