Philip
RE: people who can presumably read the information you provide on your exhibits
That is exactly the point, people who have been profoundly deaf from birth generally don't have English as their first language and their reading skills tend to be below average (I say 'generally' and 'tend' because everyone is different and their are Deaf people with very good language skills) and so they don't want to read the information you provide on your exhibits because they find it hard.
This group of D/deaf people are increasingly using Sign language (for the UK British Sign Language - BSL) as their first language.
The grammar and syntax of BSL is quite different from English which is why reading and writing in English isn't easy for people who use BSL as their first language.
For people who have gone deaf in older life and whose first language is English, this isn't an issue. And many of these people won't know sign language anyway so that signed interpretation is no use to them.
Hope this makes sense.
Linda
----- Original Message -----
From: Philip Wark
To: Linda Ellis
Sent: Monday, October 15, 2007 1:42 PM
Subject: RE: Digital cameras, mobile phone cameras, MP3 players in museums and galleries
HI Linda
This is not meant to be a facetious question but what value is this to people who can presumably read the information you provide on your exhibits. I am genuinely curious as I think it is a great idea but wonder how deaf and hard of hearing benefit more from seeing the information signed rather than reading it.
Thanks
Philip Wark
Principal Librarian
Library HQ
2 Clerk Street
Loanhead
Midlothian EH20 9DR
tel: 0131 271 3971
fax: 0131 440 4635
[log in to unmask]
From: elearning projects group: museums and galleries, libraries and archives [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Linda Ellis
Sent: 12 October 2007 16:23
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Digital cameras, mobile phone cameras, MP3 players in museums and galleries
Here at Wolverhampton we have developed a signed video guide to our museum for our Deaf visitors which runs on off the shelf MP3 players.
We filmed a number of short videos of a Deaf person signing the information we had written about the displays in the museum. These videos were then loaded onto the MP3 players and Deaf visitors can borrow them when they visit.
The guides are aimed specifically at Deaf visitors whose first language is British Sign Language. This group prefer to communicate in sign and tend to have lower than average literacy skills in written English. This is a distinct group which is quite different to people who have gone deaf in later life and who have already been used to communicating in English.
We choose to load the videos on hand held MP3 players rather than on a computer or a DVD player because we wanted something visitors could carry with them as they explored the museum.
Linda
Linda Ellis
ICT Development Officer
Wolverhampton Arts & Museum Service
Bantock House
Finchfield Road
Wolverhampton
WV3 9LQ
Tel: 01902 556326
----- Original Message -----
From: Robin Clutterbuck
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Friday, October 12, 2007 3:30 PM
Subject: Digital cameras, mobile phone cameras, MP3 players in museums and galleries
Hello MCG and E-Learning list members (with apologies if you have received this via the GEM list) -
I have three related requests for information - all to do with making use of cheap, easily available technology. This is mainly for family learning activities but could be applied to schools.
1. Does anyone give out digital cameras for children to use in the museum? I'm looking for something that would be attractive for children (e.g. http://www.vtechuk.com/products-and-accessories/kidizoom-multimedia-digital-camera/) but also able to print out stickers before they leave. An option to disable the flash would be an added advantage!
2. For that matter, has anyone tried engaging with people's mobile phone cameras, perhaps by bluetooth? These cameras don't have flash so would suit galleries better.
3. And what about MP3 players? How are people using these in the gallery? There must be opportunities for some creative activities based around matching music or oral history to particular displays, or just doing personalised audio tours / 'treasure hunts'.
Any information very gratefully received! If you want your reply to encourage more discussion on the list press 'reply to all', but if you have a specific reply to my question (e.g. details of a product or supplier) just reply to me and I'll circulate to the list in due course.
Best wishes
Robin Clutterbuck
White Rook Projects
Museum & Heritage Learning / Audience Development
The Castle
62 Seymour Road
Newton Abbot
Devon TQ12 2PU
U.K.
Tel: (0) 1626 333144
Mobile: 07779 671794
Email: [log in to unmask]
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