“Smart Auslan” technology developed by the Australian Communication Exchange
Deaf and hearing impaired Australians can now enjoy Australia’s first onsite access to Auslan and caption services at the National Sports Museum.
The “Smart Auslan” technology was developed by not-for-profit organisation, Australian Communication Exchange (ACE), over an 18-month partnership with the museum.
While hundreds of museums across Australia offer audio tours, only the National Sports Museum now offers the equivalent service for Deaf and hearing impaired Australians to gain easy access to the same information through a smartphone device.
Up until now, Deaf Australians have had to either pay for their own Auslan interpreter, or wait for a scheduled Auslan tour to fully appreciate the cultural experiences on offer at museums.
With Smart Auslan on their device, they can now freely decide when and how they would like to visit museums adopting the technology.
“The Smart Auslan project with the National Sports Museum is a breakthrough in exhibition accessibility for Deaf and hearing impaired Australians,” said Sandy Gilliland, ACE CEO.
“We see this as the first of many museums and galleries that will look to further cultural access for all Australians, by opening their doors wider for the Deaf and hearing impaired communities.”
Each year, approximately 150,000 people visit the National Sports Museum and listen to audio descriptions of iconic exhibitions.
Smart Auslan provides Deaf and hearing impaired Australians with the same access to the museum display descriptions in Auslan sign language videos that can be accessed by scanning Quick Response (QR) codes with Android-powered smartphones.
The museum will have six Android devices located for visitors to use or alternatively the application can be downloaded onto an Android smartphone from the ACE website.
“This is such an exciting initiative and we are thrilled to be part of the launch of Smart Auslan in Australia, said National Sports Museum general manager Margaret Birtley.
"We are sure this new technology will provide our deaf and hearing impaired visitors with a more engaging experience at the National Sports Museum.”
View an Auslan video description and further details on the ACE website.
For further information about the Smart Auslan project with the National Sports Museum please visit www.smartauslan.com.au or email info@smartauslan.com.au or phone 1300 133 968.