Telecommunications Bridging between Deaf and Hearing Users in South Africa

1. Telecommunications Bridging between Deaf and Hearing Users in South Africa Meryl Glaser Department of Health and Rehabilitation Faculty of Health Sciences University of Cape Town mglaser@uctgsh1.uct.ac.za William D. Tucker Bridging Applications and Networks Group (BANG) Department of Computer Science University of the Western Cape btucker@cs.uct.ac.za CVHI 2004, Granada, Spain June 29 - July 2, 2004

2. Overview • There is a whole range of developed world possibilities. • The South African Digital Divide strongly influences telecommunications for the Deaf. • Based on these Digital Divide conditions, we have come up with social and technical innovations. • These innovations are conceptualised in an abstract Internet-based communications framework called the SoftBridge. • One of the applications of the SoftBridge is a semi-automated relay for Deaf Telephony. • We are trialing this application in the field at the Deaf Community of Cape Town.

3. Introduction • Proliferation of options for Deaf telecommunications • Multi-modal communications on the Internet: text, voice & video • Multi-functional and wireless devices: PC, Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), mobile handsets, text telephones • Convergence of the telephone network & Internet • These solutions work when both Deaf and hearing users use the same • Capabilities • Modalities • Service interfaces • Devices • Networks • Differences in any of these require some form of bridging

4. Bridging for the Deaf via Relay Relay Operator bridges voice to/from with

5. Pre-requisites Components } • Awareness • Availability • Accessibility • Affordability • Appropriateness User Capabilites Sensory, Sign Language, Text & ICT literacy Communication Modalities text, voice & video Human & automated relay User Interfaces Software and hardware interface End-user Devices mobile devices: cellphone, PDA PC, laptop, videophones Network Access Landline, mobile, Internet access, broadband

6. Local South African Digital Divide • Population 45 million • 45% rural • Mixed developed and developing world • 14 million cell users, 4 million landline • 2 of 3 sharing handsets or using community phones • 50% of households have no phone in dwelling • 10% have no access to a phone at all • Legacy of differentiated access

7. Another Example: The Phone Gap

8. Global Digital Divide 2002 figures from unstats.un.org/unsd/databases.htm

9. South African Deaf Demographics • Estimates range from 4 million to 380,000 • Depends on definitions of severity • Deaf here means South African Sign Language (SASL) as the preferred language • Deaf community • 30% of Deaf adults are functionally illiterate • 65% of all Deaf adults are unemployed • Many are underemployed • Impacts on socio-economic status • All adds up to little or no ICT access or literacy

10. Deaf Telephony in South Africa • Deaf people have little or nothing at all • 3rd party mediation over the telephone network • Teldem • Extremely small connectivity circle (650 at best) • SMS on cellphones, even landlines (coming!) • Not synchronous or reliable • Expensive • TISSA – Telephone Interpreting Service South Africa • 6 month government-funded pilot finished • Email, Instant Messaging, Video Conferencing • Digital Divide issues: access, literacy, expense • No relay service

11. Motivation for our Approach • In light of the South Africa situation, our aims are to: • Increase connectivity options to the Deaf • Provide synchronous communication • Fully automate the relay • Provide low-cost solutions • Offer multi-media and multi-functional capacity • Support mobility • Establish community-based rather than individualist model

12. The SoftBridge concept User User Modality Modality Interface Interface Device Device Network Network • Abstracted communication system • Semi-synchronous • Synchronous when possible • Asynchronous otherwise • Inspired by Instant Messaging, SMS and email

13. A softbridge application: Deaf Telephony Deaf User Hearing User Written English User User Spoken English Modality Modality voice text Interface Interface audio GUI Device Device handset PC Network Network Internet Telephone • Semi-automated relay with an Instant Messaging delivery system • Examples • Hearing user intiates conversation • Deaf user initiates conversation

14. Field Trials with end-users • Pilot trials with ICT-literate Deaf user in the lab • Recent activity with the Deaf Community of Cape Town • Installed community PCs in the Deaf community centre • Trained 20 Deaf people in basic ICT skills • Added Wizard of Oz functionality to combat poor Automatic Speech Recognition • System instrumented to collect system and user usage metrics

15. Future Work • Action Research and software development cycles to change & improve functionality and interfaces for Deaf and hearing end-users • South African Sign Language with video as a bridged modality • Mobility with Wireless LAN (WiFi) and GSM/GPRS • PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants, e.g. Palm, Pocket PC) • Cellular handsets • Guaranteed delivery of messages, e.g. emergency services • Carrier-grade functionality to make service attractive to service providers

16. Sponsors and Partners • Muchas gracias: Deaf Community of Cape Town participants, John Lewis, Jason Penton mglaser@uctgsh1.uct.ac.za btucker@cs.uct.ac.za