SBIR Phase I: ASL Literacy Support System

SBIR 第一阶段：ASL 扫盲支持系统

• 批准号: 0944752
• 负责人: Corinne Vinopol
• 金额: $ 15万
• 依托单位: Institute for Disabilities Research and Training, Inc.
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2010-01-01 至 2010-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0944752&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: SBIR; Phase; ASL; Literacy; Support

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will examine the feasibility of producing a hardware/software system that will enable a user to: 1) scan paper-based text; 2) read screen-based text; and 3) type and have that text appear in software that supports it with American Sign Language graphics and video clips in real time. This software also will enable the user to edit, print, select appropriate signs when more than one match the English word, 'hide' signs when support is not wanted, retrieve sign graphics/video through an index, and generate flashcards and sign/word matching worksheets. This outcomes of this project will result in creation of a software beta version using pen scanning capabilities having 5,000 signs/words, and planning for screen reading. Many deaf children are challenged by reading since this process largely depends on auditory understanding. Teachers of the deaf frequently re-interpret text into ASL or enhance it with signs to render it more comprehensible to their students. Research has shown that incorporation of signs with text provides a multimodal approach to the development of early literacy skills that utilizes multiple intelligences and learning styles. Heretofore, the process of reinforcing text with signs has involved laborious copying, drawing, cutting, and/or pasting.ASL is a visual/gestural language distinct from English. Many deaf people who rely on sign language do not have good facility with English. Because English is an auditory mediated language that depends upon phonological code, reading achievement scores of deaf children usually fall far short of those found among hearing children of comparable abilities. A particularly interesting aspect of the low reading skill levels displayed by deaf students is that while they may not understand a sentence in print, they may understand it perfectly if it is presented in ASL. Incorporation of sign language into early reading skills training is fast gaining favor also among early childhood educators who have long struggled with finding fun and productive ways to actively engage young children in the process. This product will be tremendously useful to teachers, business personnel, speech/language pathologists, etc. who have a need to support understanding of English text with ASL signs for purposes of literacy improvement, curriculum enhancement, or communication. This product will enable users to type, scan text, or read screens and have output in text with ASL graphics and/or video support at an affordable price.

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目将研究生产一种硬件/软件系统的可行性，该系统将使用户能够：1)扫描纸质文本；2)阅读基于屏幕的文本；3)打字并使文本实时显示在支持它的软件中，并带有美国手语图形和视频剪辑。该软件还将使用户能够编辑、打印、当多个标志与英文单词匹配时选择合适的标志、在不需要支持时隐藏标志、通过索引检索标志图形/视频，以及生成抽认卡和标志/单词匹配工作表。该项目的这一成果将导致创建一个软件测试版，使用具有5,000个符号/单词的笔扫描功能，并规划屏幕阅读。许多聋哑儿童面临阅读的挑战，因为这一过程在很大程度上依赖于听觉理解。聋人教师经常将课文重新解读为美国手语，或者用手势加强，使学生更容易理解。研究表明，符号与文本的结合为早期识字技能的发展提供了一种多模式的方法，利用了多种智能和学习方式。到目前为止，用符号加强文本的过程包括繁琐的复制、绘画、剪切和/或粘贴。ASL是一种有别于英语的视觉/手势语言。许多依赖手语的聋人对英语不太熟练。由于英语是一种依赖于语音编码的听觉中介语言，聋儿的阅读成绩通常远远低于能力相当的听力儿童。聋人学生阅读水平低的一个特别有趣的方面是，尽管他们可能听不懂印刷的句子，但如果用美国手语表达，他们可能会完全理解它。将手语纳入早期阅读技能培训也迅速获得了幼儿教育工作者的青睐，他们长期以来一直在努力寻找有趣而富有成效的方式，积极地让幼儿参与到这个过程中来。这款产品将对教师、商务人员、言语/语言病理学家等非常有用，他们需要支持理解带有ASL手势的英语文本，以提高识字能力、提高课程设置或进行交流。这款产品将使用户能够以实惠的价格打字、扫描文本或阅读屏幕，并以ASL图形和/或视频支持以文本输出。