SignLibrary
17.01.2013 | | Vienna | Austria
Network themes: New technologies
Summary
equalizent developed SignLibrary in cooperation with partners in Germany, Hungary and Slovenia. SignLibrary contains a selection of books and texts from world’s literature. These books were being translated into sign language and video recorded. The videos can be played directly online on the website, downloaded or purchased on DVD for free. There is also free access to a guideline of how to translate books and texts into sign language and to produce a video book. Background: Deaf people, through having restricted access to works of literature, are kept from central elements of culture and general knowledge. This situation requires measures in terms of cultural and social-political matters like SignLibrary, which vitally promotes the social and cultural integration of deaf people. In cooperation with Germany, Slovenia and Hungary we managed to offer approach to literature and cultural knowledge for hearing impaired people.
Project object:
The main aim of SignLibrary is to facilitate access to literature and cultural knowledge by translating world literature into sign language. It shall reach a wide group of deaf people, people working within the field of deaf education and training, people working within the field of literature as well as families with deaf parents or children and sign language learners. Another aim is to disseminate not only the sign language books but also the idea of translating world literature into sing language. The guidelines and project documentation shall help national and international people to learn more about this idea and to get an overview how to carry out appropriate translations.
Methodology
• Discussions with Argos - a company for music and theatre specialised on visual theatre and signed music - about ways of transferring written language into signed language. • Decision to keep open a variety of methods of translation choosing them depending on the book (translation, interpretation, adaptation) (note: have a look at Rilke’s “The Panther” to get a better understanding of the different methods.) • Developing selective criteria for books to be translated into sign language in cooperation with experts in literature, school education and deaf culture. • Developing production guidelines • Translating written language into signed language • Selection of technical media and signed performance • Production at studio • Test reading • Publishing
Target
The project wants to reach deaf children, teenagers and adults who shall be supported in reading stories and books of cultural and social significance. Our project addresses various target groups: With the SignLibrary project we want to reach deaf as well as hearing people. The books are translated into several national sign languages, so people with different national backgrounds can use the SignLibrary. Families with hearing and deaf children can use the SignLibrary together if they are sing language users. Some videos are also voiced and people competent or not yet competent in sign language can also understand the content. • The videos can be used by deaf, hard of hearing and hearing people. • International and national target groups are reached. • Children’s books and adults’ books are provided. The main aim is to make texts ideally accessible to deaf people. According to the project’s objective, deaf sign language users therefore do not only represent the target group, but are integrated to the project as developers and consultants as well.
Good practice innovations
SignLibrary is the first online library in Europe accessible for signing people with or without hearing impairment. As equalizent cooperates on this project with Germany, Slovenia and Hungary, you can find video books in each cooperating country’s national sign language. Within this project literary works were translated into sign language and video recorded. All video books are available for download on our website www.signlibrary.eu. People without internet access can purchase all videos on DVD for free. By now 14 video books have been uploaded and point out the high demand of translating written cultural knowledge in sign language to liaise both hearing and deaf culture. On the website you can choose either English or the national language of each country involved. Important information and contents are also shown in each country’s national sign language as well as in International Sign Language. This is to help signers to navigate through the website easily. There is also a chance for the community to upload their own signed video books. They can upload their contribution to SignLibrary via YouTube and link the video to the SignLibrary website. Therefore we developed guidelines of how to produce your own sign language video book which is also free for download on our website. The prolonged contribution from the deaf community is very important to keep the project alive. equalizent also endavours to publish new sign language books regularly and therefore are on a constant search of sponsors to provide financial support.
Good practice achievements
One of the video books for children was presented in schools. The feedback was amazing as the lack of bilingual teaching material is significant. There are no specific teaching concepts or school books available for deaf and hard of hearing children. That is why we decided to develop this project further creating a new project - Signlanguage@school - to develop bilingual teaching material to use in bilingual elementary school for hearing impaired pupils. We were and currently are producing sign language videos adapted to children’s needs in language learning aiming to producing appropriate teaching concepts and materials and integrating them into school curriculums.
Project partners and other stakeholders
• AURIS, Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Kranj/SI - www.auris-kranj.si • Gebärdenfabrik, Center of Competence for Sign Language, Berlin/DE - www.gebaerdenfabrik.de • SINOSZ, Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Budapest/HU - www.sinosz.hu • Racio, Human Development Company, Celje/SI - www.racio.si • University of Hamburg, Institute of German Sign Language and Communication of the Deaf, Hamburg/DE - www.sign-lang.uni-hamburg.de • Queraum, Cultural and Social Reserch Organisation, Vienna/AT – www.queraum.org
Good practice testimonial
We have been nominated for several awards and won the PHILIPP reading award for SignLibrary (PHILIPP Der Lese-Award für die Online-Gebärdenbibliothek SignLibrary), reached the first place for creativity in the Mercur Price and have been honored with the Live Long Learning award for SignLibrary. 26.000 visits to our website were registered from September 2009 until December 2012. The analytics show a continual number of visitors over the years so we see a constant interest and demand of sign language books.
Evaluation
All partner countries involved in the project have been in constant exchange of ideas concerning progress and process and were accompanied by several experts specialized in deaf education, literature, translating and interpreting, sign language linguistics and technical concerns. By the time the video books have been produced, test readings were taking place. Native signers read the books again checking them for grammar, coherence, cohesion and genre. An advisory committee involving more than 30 professional organisations (e.g. schools, universities, companies, associations, all focused on deaf culture and sign language) was consulted and the project has been approved.
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