Adapting Kids Network for Deaf Students

Terc Inc, Cambridge MA

Investigators

Abstract

Proposal # HRD-0095392 Institution: TERC Principal Investigator: Judith Vesel Title: "Adapting Kids Network for Deaf Students" ABSTRACT TERC 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.