Adapting Kids Network for Deaf Students

并创建一个更强大的手势/面部表情/身体空间库，供SigningAvatarTM使用，使其他科学课程能够使用。这一合作将三个组织聚集在一起，这些组织独特地适合实施拟议的工作计划。该项目选择了屡获殊荣的儿童网络系列单元(之前由TERC利用NSF资金开发)，因为反复的受控评估表明，使用这些单元的听力学生在基于标准的学习结果方面取得了显著进展。Vcom3D的工作人员于1997年开始了一项旨在使用可视化技术帮助聋人和重听学生进行教育的研究和开发课程。SigningAvatarTM软件就是这项工作的成果。NTID是罗切斯特理工学院(RIT)的一所学院，以其在使用技术和技术符号进行科学教学方面的尖端研究而闻名。儿童网络：我们的氧气充足吗？适用于6-8年级聋人或重听学生的单元-教师指南加上SigningAvatarTM的加入，使在线活动、资源和实施战略能够满足目标人群的需求。3.总结性评价报告--软拷贝文件，说明在每个单位的网上部分加上签名在多大程度上促进了具体的基于标准的学习成果的实现。经验教训报告-使用SigningAvatarTM技术使大多数基于网络的科学材料对聋人学生可用的最佳实践的软拷贝文档。5.阿凡达角色手势/面部表情/身体空间词汇的新技术符号词汇-主要在地球和空间、生命和物理科学、通信以及数据共享、展示和分析领域的词汇和术语。技术和技术研究中心将负责与课程有关的网络活动和资源修改、受控评价和经验教训报告的项目监督和责任。Vcom3D将向SigningAvatarTM库添加新的技术标志，并启用每个单元的SigningAvatarTM。NTID的顾问将协助选择和适当使用标志。咨询委员会和外部项目评估员进一步加强能力，确保聋人或重听学生增加并不断获得适合年龄的高质量科学材料。

Proposal # HRD-0095392Institution: TERCPrincipal Investigator: Judith VeselTitle: "Adapting Kids Network for Deaf Students"ABSTRACTTERC will collaborate with Vcom3D, Inc., and staff from the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID), on use of the SigningAvatarTM accessibility software to sign the web activities and resources for two Kids Network units; evaluate the extent to which the addition of signing promotes achievement of standards-based learning outcomes; report the lessons learned about best practices for using the SigningAvatarTM characters to sign most web-based science materials; and create a more robust sign/facial expression / body space library for use in SigningAvatarTM enabling other science curricula.The collaboration brings together three organizations uniquely suited to conduct the proposed program of work. Units from the award-winning Kids Network series (developed previously by TERC with NSF funding) were selected for the project because repeated controlled evaluations have shown that hearing students who use the units make significant gains in standards-based learning outcomes. Vcom3D's staff embarked in 1997 on a course of research and development directed toward using visualization technologies to assist education of deaf and hard of hearing students. The SigningAvatarTM software is the result of this work. NTID, a college of Rochester institute of Technology (RIT), is known for its leading-edge research in the use of technology and technical signs for science instruction. Building on the partners' collected knowledge, products at the end of three years will include:1. Kids Network Weather in Action unit adapted for students in Grades 3-6 who are deaf or hard of hearing - Teacher's Guide with SigningAvatarTM enabled online activities, resources, and implementation strategies to meet the needs of the target population.2. Kids Network Are We Getting Enough Oxygen? Unit adapted for students in Grades 6-8 who are deaf or hard of hearing - Teacher's' Guide with the addition of the SigningAvatarTM enabled online activities, resources, and implementation strategies to meet the needs of the target population. 3. Summative evaluation report - Soft copy documentation of the extent to which the addition of signing to the web-based components of each unit promotes achievement of specified standards-based learning outcomes.4. Report of lessons learned - Soft copy documentation of best practices for using the SigningAvatarTM technology to make most web-based science materials accessible to students who are deaf. 5. New vocabulary of technical signs for the Avatar characters' sign/facial expression/body space lexicon - Words and terms primarily in the areas of earth and space, life, and physical science; communication; and data sharing, display, and analysis. TERC will have project oversight and responsibility for the tasks of curriculum-related modifications to the web activities and resources, the controlled evaluation, and the report of lessons-learned. Vcom3D will add new technical signs to the SigningAvatarTM library and SigningAvatarTM enable each unit. Consultants from NTID will assist in the selection and appropriate use of signs. An Advisory Committee and an outside Project Evaluator further enhance the capacity to ensure that students who are deaf or hard of hearing have increased and ongoing access to quality, age-appropriate science materials.