SignSupport: A Mobile Aid for Deaf People Learning Computer Literacy Skills.

This paper discusses a prototype of a learning aid on a mobile phone to support Deaf people learning computerliteracy skills. The aim is to allow Deaf people to learn at their own pace which in turn reduces the dependenceon a teacher to allow weaker learners be assisted. We studied the classroom dynamics and teaching methods toextract how lesson content is delivered. This helped us develop an authoring tool to structure lesson content forthe prototype. A prototype has been developed using South African Sign Language videos arranged accordingto the structure of pre-existing lessons. The technical goal was to implement the prototype on a mobile deviceand tie the resulting exported lesson content from the authoring tool to a series of signed language videos andimages so that a Deaf person can teach him/herself computer literacy skills. Results from the user testing foundthe prototype successful in allowing Deaf users to learn at their own pace thereby reducing the dependence onthe teacher.