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Sign language clapping is being encouraged over regular clapping at a leading universty's students' union "to avoid triggering anxiety".

The University of Manchester Students' Union passed the resolution to enourgae the British Sign Language version at student union events at the first Senate session of the academic year on September 27, according to student newspaper the Mancunion.

"It was argued that the loud noise of traditional clapping and whooping pose an issue to students with anxiety or sensory issues. BSL clapping – or, jazz hands – would be a more inclusive form of expression," the paper said.

Jazz hands is the British Sign Language for clapping.

(Image: Universal Images Group Editorial) (Image: iStockphoto)

The Senate make decisions about what the Students' Union should believe and take action on, according to the Student Union website.

Each motion needs 66% of the vote to be passed.

Liberation and Access Officer Sara Khan authored the motion, called ‘Making Senate More Accessible’.

It resolved to swap out audible clapping for BSL clapping at SU (Students' Union) events, and to “encourage student groups and societies to do the same, and to include BSL clapping as a part of inclusion training”.

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In April 2017, the University of Durham proposed a motion which said all clapping should be banned from future NUS events.

The "access needs of disabled students are disregarded/overlooked in terms of conference member behaviour and NUS structures", it said, and called for “reduced cheering or unnecessary loud noises on conference floor, including whooping and clapping."

In a statement to the Telegraph , a spokesman for the NUS said they don't "actively stop our members from clapping, they choose to be respectful and enable other people to get involved.”

*A previous version of this article suggested that the Students' Union had 'banned' clapping.

Since publication, the Union has issued a statement to confirm that the resolution was to encourage BSL clapping but was not intended to be interpreted as a ban on audible clapping. We are happy to clarify this.