-
SignVR
Inspiration
1 in 6 Australians are affected by hearing loss. In Australia, there are approximately 30,000 deaf Auslan users with total hearing loss who rely on Australian Sign Language as their language of communication. Worldwide, there are about 70 million deaf people who use sign language as their first language or mother tongue. Auslan is the language that enables the Australian deaf community to communicate and to build relationships. This development of relationships and networks is restricted by the limited members of society who are also able to communicate in sign, leaving many deaf Australians to feel socially isolated. In a move being described as a "huge step for equality”, the first national curriculum for Auslan, the language of the deaf community in Australia, will soon be rolled out in schools across Australia. The curriculum will give hearing students the opportunity to learn Auslan. SignVR is an interactive extended-reality education platform for learning Auslan in schools through a fun and embodied first-person learning experience, inspiring an inclusive future for all Australians.
What it does
SignVR is an interactive extended-reality education platform for learning Auslan through an engaging and embodied, first-person learning experience. The educational game-play experience allows students to learn Auslan through immersive first-person embodiment teaching methods, an ability unique to the XR mediums. Extended reality (XR) refers to real-and-virtual combined environments and human-machine interactions generated by computer technology and wearables; i.e. augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). SignVR uses gamified learning to motivate students, and is designed to make the process of learning Auslan an exciting and engaging experiences. SignVR is the first step towards integrating extended-reality as a commonplace tool for education. Schools across the nation are introducing innovative technologies into the classroom to inspire and prepare our upcoming generations for the evolving digital landscape. The Australian Government supports the appropriate use of technology in Australian schools to prepare students to learn, train and live in a digital world. SignVR excites students into learning Auslan, bridging communication barriers nationally, weakening stigmas towards people with disabilities, eradicating social isolation, and unifying Australian students for an inclusive community.
Originality
Nothing like SignVR is currently available on the XR market. Extended-reality outcomes such as Virtual Reality Therapies are gaining a lot of market interest and social bridges are beginning to be crossed thanks to applying creative thinking to innovative technologies; but there are currently no commercial XR applications for learning sign language, and the educational tools that are available for learning sign language lack engaging user-experience design. SignVR transforms the experience of learning sign into an enjoyable, immersive and interactive learning experience. A major focus defining SignVR as unique, is its commitment to community inclusion and involvement at every step, both for the end product, but also through its development. The development of SignVR will use collaborators of all abilities to contribute with content creation and knowledge sharing for accurate and suitable product design, empowering and employing Australian’s with disabilities. SignVR has great potential to scale, with the underlying technology being able to be replicated worldwide, repurposed for international growth into other country’s languages of sign, with sustainability at the forefront of the design process. SignVR is a unique initiative to encourage introducing innovative technology into schools, to increase student exposure to the amazing technologies available to them.
Categories
Best VR Experience Award | Accessibility Award | Best Artistic Experience Award | Best Audio Experience Award | Best Social Experience Award | People's Choice Award
Log in or sign up for Devpost to join the conversation.