The Need:

Studies have shown evidence of the benefits of handheld devices in K-12 education. In recent years, hundreds of software and media applications appropriate for classroom use have become available for handhelds. Until now, there has been little or no R & D in the area of adapting these devices to the specific learning needs of K-12 Deaf and Hard of Hearing students. Vcom3D believes that such devices can provide these students with valuable tools for independent study and for improving literacy and language at school and at home.

The Research:

Vcom3D developed and evaluated a proof-of-concept American Sign Language and Signed English dictionary for handheld computer and media player devices (HP’s iPAQ and Apple’s iPod). The dictionary included signed animations of English terms that can be difficult for Deaf learners to master, including idioms, scientific terms, and multi-sense words. The Mobile Language Reference will provide mobility and independence that leads to opportunity-based learning - in classrooms, on field trips, or while reading a book anytime, anywhere.

TERC and Vcom3D have partnered to develop proof-of-concept Web-delivered Virtual Reality (VR) simulation that incorporates lifelike virtual tutors, capable of communicating in written or spoken English or in sign language. The two subjects are Marble Roll and Solar Cooker, two of the three Online Science-athon challenges developed by TERC for middle grades. Each challenge asks students to investigate their world in ways that are engaging, fun, instructive and easy for teachers to incorporate into their teaching. Common to all of the events is that they are delivered from the Science-athon web site (scithon.terc.edu) and result in student data that are submitted to a central database and compared with other student-generated data using a range of table and graph displays. The key innovation of the project is that it uses the ability of SigningAvatar® and Vcommunicator® characters to manipulate and demonstrate objects and to communicate in sign and gesture as well as speech for the purpose of providing teaching and coaching that is adapted to each student’s capabilities and methods of learning.

The Need:

Hearing children are surrounded by written, spoken, and visual media in their native language that they can access at any time during their waking hours. By contrast, Deaf children whose first language is signing must depend almost entirely on live interactions with their educators, family, and peers. For the 90% of Deaf children born to hearing parents, even interactions with family are very limited, since most hearing parents do not develop more than rudimentary signing skills. Many Deaf children are educated in mainstream classes that do not include other Deaf students, thereby further limiting their exposure to sign language communication. This lack of access to the information, stories, and language models leads to isolation of the Deaf child.

The Research:

Vcom3D and the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center of Gallaudet University will research and develop a proof-of-concept system for creating and delivering animated stories using the full range of facial expression and body language of American Sign Language, as well as manual signs. Results from this Phase I proof-of-concept will provide the basis for developing an Authoring System and run-time software for creating these animated stories.

Vcom3D and TERC are providing sign language accessible illustrations of science terms and definitions via a Web-deliverable program. The Signing Science Dictionary (http://signsci.terc.edu/) includes standards-based science content for elementary and middle-grade students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing and who first language is sign. The Dictionary is illustrated and interactive.

It is a well-documented fact that persons who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing have difficulty learning to read and write proficiently. The average deaf high school graduate reads at only a third to fourth-grade level. Over the last decade, several software screen readers and literacy tools have been developed for persons with blindness and learning disabilities. However, to date, none of these tools has incorporated features and functions that specifically target the needs of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing population. We envision a multimedia module that presents a highly detailed representation of an animated human that can:

• • Speak selected words and text segments, while demonstrating correct mouth movement to form speech sounds.
• • Translate selected words and phrases into American Sign Language (ASL) and/or Signed English.
• • Provide ASL definitions of selected English words.
• • Assist students in vocabulary development by suggesting semantically related English words that are found via a sign description look-up search.

Such a tool could extend to Deaf or Hard of Hearing students many of the benefits of similar software currently available to other groups who have print disabilities. These benefits could, in turn, contribute significantly to closing the literacy and communication gap that leaves so many Deaf and Hard of Hearing students behind.

Mobile Language Reference for Deaf and Hard of Hearing K-12 Students

Lifelike Virtual Tutors to Support Authentic Learning

Lifelike, Expressive Avatars for the Instruction of Young Learners who are Deaf

The Signing Science Dictionary Project

Multimedia Literacy Software for Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and Visual Learners