Assistive Technology for Deaf Students

90% of deaf children are born to hearing parents.

90% of deaf parents have hearing children.

What does that have to do with learning? In order for a hearing parent to communicate with their deaf child, they will have to decide to learn sign language and teach their deaf child sign language. 

But what happens when it's time to go to school?  Some children go to an all deaf school.  Others go to public school with an interpreter.  Some hard of hearing and deaf people are really good at reading lips, but they can't possibly read lips when a teacher looks at the board or turns to talk to another student.  Then there is the complication that arises when the child is trying to make friends.  None of his or her classmates can understand more than a smile or a frown. 

This can be very frustrating for a child.   

Once the child is old enough to read and write, sometimes the child has a 'note taker' who writes down what the teacher says verbatim.  At a young age, this isn't as helpful. 

There are voice to text programs that will change what the teacher is saying into words. 

This can be helpful, but it doesn't help the child communicate with his or her friends.  What we need is a way for a deaf child to interact with his environment on his or her own.  We need a way to translate for them so others can understand and so they might understand as well. 

American Sign Language is a beautiful language, but it is a language that involves movement.  How can we make technology that is adequate enough to capture the essence of American Sign Language. 

It is a puzzling question.   

Roman Kozak, a High School student was working to turn

American Sign Language into speech using a glove.

He is not alone.  Many others have been working to perfect this idea.

Jeremy Blum came up with a Sudo Glove that can control remote control cars.
He does many how to videos so you can make your own at home. 

This is a final example of how the Sudo Glove has been used to translate

American Sign Language into English.

This invention could change the world as we know it.

It could open up a whole new world of possibilities for deaf individuals.

They wouldn't have to worry about having an interpreter.

No job would be out of reach.

I find it amazing the way the glove monitors your hand with sensors

detecting every sign and letter.  That in turn can Bluetooth with a computer and run a voice

program simulating what the signer intended. 

The only problem I see with this invention is that it doesn't turn speech into sign language, although it does connect with the computer and from what I understand

turn speech into text on the computer.  I am sure in the future we will see the text built right into the glove so there is no need of an actual computer.

References

http://www.romanakozak.com/sign-language-translator/

http://www.wikihow.com/Help-Deaf-Students-Using-Technology

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHTrAXsULOI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnWPoaLU1i4