ERIC Number: EJ1017332
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013-Jul
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1055-8896
EISSN: N/A
Designing an American Sign Language Avatar for Learning Computer Science Concepts for Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing Students and Deaf Interpreters
Andrei, Stefan; Osborne, Lawrence; Smith, Zanthia
Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia, v22 n3 p229-242 Jul 2013
The current learning process of Deaf or Hard of Hearing (D/HH) students taking Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) courses needs, in general, a sign interpreter for the translation of English text into American Sign Language (ASL) signs. This method is at best impractical due to the lack of availability of a specialized sign interpreter and at worst nearly valueless as complex STEM concepts do not yet have an associated meaningful ASL sign. This paper describes a practical software signing avatar, called X University's Signing Avatar (XUSA). This paper includes an evaluation of how the D/HH students and sign interpreters will acquire knowledge of complex Computer Science concepts using XUSA. Similar projects that use signing avatars for learning process focus on K-8 grade concepts. XUSA will establish a new form of direct instruction that can be extended to other courses at universities with D/HH students and interpreters.
Descriptors: Deafness, Hearing Impairments, College Students, STEM Education, Computer Software, American Sign Language, Educational Technology, Deaf Interpreting, Computer Simulation, Computer Uses in Education
Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education. P.O. Box 1545, Chesapeake, VA 23327. Tel: 757-366-5606; Fax: 703-997-8760; e-mail: info@aace.org; Web site: http://www.aace.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A