Deaf People and the New Technologies . “Deaf Network” Project “Red Sorda”

1. Deaf People and the New Technologies.“Deaf Network” Project“Red Sorda” • Adolfo García Arellano • Projects Department Coordinator • CNSE Foundation

2. The ‘Fundación CNSE’ for the elimination of Communication Barriers • Established in October 1998 by the CNSE • Aims: to eliminate the communication barriers • Activities focused on: - the social setting: we want the implication and participation of deaf people - the personal setting: independence and autonomons living for deaf people

3. Social status of Deaf People in Spain • There is one million deaf people in Spain • 400.000 users of Spanish Sign Language • Heterogeneous group depending on: - deaf people - moment in time they got their hearing lost - other users: relatives, professionals, etc. - different needings and requirements • Two common elements: - the existence of barriers in their daily life - visual features are essential

4. Communication among and with Deaf People • Appart form the concept of heterogeneity we can distinguish 2 different groups: - Communication is not conveyed by Sign Language - Communication is conveyed by Sign Language - Make use of different resources to improve oral comprehension (hearing aid, cochlear implant, …) - Official recognition of Spanish Sign Language

5. A consequence derived from the communicative features: • The use of visual means in order to get to the information, as well as the communication features of deaf people, improves the appearence of barries in their daily lives

6. Accesibility for Deaf People

7. Cnse Foundation deems indispensable deaf people access to what is called “Information and Knowledge Society” Therefore, CNSE Foundation participates in the Deaf Network Project with other public and private entities with these aims: • Use of NT’s in order to create new ways • of “e-learning” and “working on-line” for Deaf People, using Spanish Sing Language (LSE) • Reinforce the Deaf People Associations • Movement trough network

9. Spanish National Confederation of Deaf People CNSE Foundation Madrid Polytechnic University Fundosa Social Consulting, belonging to ONCE Group (Spanish National Organization of Blind People) FOREM (Training and Employment Foundation )

10. Deaf Network Since 1999 - until 2003 • It was made a Corporative Network within Deaf Federations trough one VPN • (24 Federations) CNSE / CNSE Foundation – New Technologies Achievements

11. Implementation of 2 “Red Sorda Party” (“Deaf Network Party”) In this Party a group of about 100 dearf young people met up for three days long surfing the internet , participating in courses and conferences, games on-line, etc.

12. It was created a Corporative Work Intranet for information and services exchange between different federations belonging to the VPN

13. Co-operation for carrying out a Sign Language dictionary in technological terms

14. 47% of deaf people don’t have studies or are illiterates Reality shows that even many deaf people who have finished Primary School, are functional illiterates: They have hard difficulties in reading comprehension and properly writing. So, we could estimate about 91,9% of deaf people who haven’t done, in any case, beyond Secondary Studies, withfunctional illiterate

15. We had to develop an specific and particular e-learning program for the ‘Deaf Network’ together with FOREM

16. In order to carry out the courses the formative curriculum accommodation to Spanish Sign Language (LSE ) is required ADAPTACION DE TEXTOS

17. Sign Language Videos Training work for Deaf People Accommodation CNSE Foundation FOREM

18. - Production of Multimedia teaching materialfor the courses- Adaptation and insertion of Sing Language Videos in each course, - Courses given trough an e-learning plataform- Desing of an specific e-learning methodology based on LSE.

19. -Giving 9 courses about Information Society, Multimedia, e-learning, New Technologies and Basic computing for users - Formative Programs for regional federations for deaf people Directors ( 3 courses)- General Program for Users ( 6 courses)

20. Activities they made during the courses: -Working with Multimedia Material-Work books-Access to Virtual Classroom -Following teacher’s activities-Chats and Debates Participation-Asking the teacher by E-mail-Videoconference sessions by streaming-Participation in classroom settings

21. Characteristics of E-learning for deaf people Adapted text supporting the video (simplifying the text) Sign Language Videos Visual enviroment Full of images

22. Another example

23. During the development of “Deaf Network” Project, they were developed a group of tools and our own software adapted to Deaf People Needings. DEVELOPMENT OF COMPUTER TOOLS

24. Tools Characteristics • Standar and easy to operate • Information appears in: • Text • LSE • Tools Integration • Unique Users name and password

25. Tools Components • Access to Network for the Deaf • E-mail • List of contacts • Chat • Forums • Website Creation

26. Virtual Classroom • E-Board • Users Administration and management • Video Control • Help

27. Mixture of different architectures • Client/server • Access, E-mail, Chat, Forums, Virtual Classroom… • P2P (peer to peer) • E-Board

28. This is an example of Chat module

29. This is an example of E-mail module

30. ANOTHER DEVELOPED PROJECTS OR THE ONES THAT WE CO-OPERATE FORM CNSE FOUNDATION

31. On-line Spanish Sign Language course Start 2005 • Directed to public workers

33. A support center and intermediary for people with disabilities CUSTODYA Proyect

34. Agreements with entities (Vodafone), in order to develop economical mobile phones products with specific software for deaf people (Ex: Messenger in mobile phones) BlackBerry

35. Adjustments of web pages • By means of inserting videos in Sing Language

36. CSV: Ciudad Sorda Virtual (“Virtual City for Deaf People”) Start 2004 http://www.ciudadsorda.org This is a web site that represents a virtual city, totally adapted to deaf people, with thematic neighbourhoods, (Sports, Health, New Technologies, etc.) with plenty of services for sharing experiences, (chat, forums, corporative e-mail, websites publications, news, etc).

38. Emergency Services Start 2005 MEDICAL ASSISTANCE OF ASISA (ASISA AND FCNSE) • The follow up or the medical evaluation through means of the mobile

39. Video guides Start 2005 • Video guides for Deaf People in museums. Accessible visits to deaf people in some spanish museums.

40. Audiovisual Sign Language Interpreter Start 2004 • Virtual Sign Language Interpreter • Co-operation with Spanish companies belonging to the Technology Park of Boecillo (Valladolid): • Telefónica I+D • CARTIF • - REDHADA

41. ESTENOTYPE Subtitles in actual time

43. IN CONCLUSION Deaf people have in Internet a wide range of resources in where they are active main characters, and not passive subjects, in the XXI century. According to this, technological innovation will help deaf people to build and spread knowledge in the next years.

44. Deaf people, as full member citizens, must become participants in Information and Knowledge Society • New Technologies have opened a very welcoming future for deaf people.

45. THANK YOU VERY MUCH