Adapted Interactive Media Project

AIM Guidelines

The Adapted Interactive Media (AIM) Project explored the role of multimedia, in general--and interactive videodisc packages, in particular--in the education of deaf and hard-of-hearing students. The AIM Project was conducted by the CPB/WGBH National Center for Accessible Media with funding provided by a grant (#H026R10001) from the U.S. Department of Education in October of 1991. The project continued through June of 1993.

Multimedia educational products are among the most popular teaching technologies used today. With their powerful visuals--including motion video, slides, computer graphics, and text--interactive videodisc packages may be useful teaching tools for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. The supporting software and video can be adapted to interact at several skill levels, making them particularly valuable for this audience, for whom English is often a second language, and whose reading levels vary widely across any given age or grade level. However, these products need to be fully accessible in order to fulfill their promise.

The AIM Project investigated adaptations that may make multimedia and interactive videodisc products more accessible and understandable to deaf and hard-of-hearing students.

The Project's objectives were to:

1. survey the current uses of multimedia in the education of students who are deaf and hard-of-hearing;
2. understand barriers to access for students who are deaf and hard-of-hearing;
3. critique existing interactive tools relative to their use with deaf and hard-of-hearing students in order to develop preliminary guidelines for adaptation;
4. adapt segments from one existing product using the preliminary guidelines;
5. field-test the adapted segments;
6. refine the accessibility guidelines targeted to developers of multimedia;

The AIM Project was guided by a nationwide advisory panel of experts in the areas of videodisc production and deaf education. Under the direction of the Advisory Panel, the Project conducted a baseline study early in 1992 to gather feedback on the use of off-the-shelf, unadapted videodisc packages. The following schools participated in the baseline study: the American School for the Deaf in Hartford, CT, and the Model Secondary School for the Deaf and the Kendall Demonstration Elementary School, both at Gallaudet University in Washington, DC.

Based on the results of the baseline study and recommendations from the Advisory Panel, the Project produced a prototype videodisc with the following adaptations: captions and other text at multiple reading levels; an expanded glossary; supplemental print materials (caption script and glossary); advance video organizers in text and in sign language; and options for signed text. The prototype was field-tested in classrooms to determine the efficacy of the adaptations.

Based on the research, the Project developed a set of accessibility guidelines designed to help multimedia producers to develop products that are accessible to deaf and hard-of-hearing students. There are nine guidelines, organized according to the needs of this population.

The Guidelines are:

1. Provide captions for all audio in a product.
2. Provide a sign language version of spoken and written material.
3. Provide a comprehensive, pictorial glossary or dictionary.
4. Provide text at multiple reading levels.
5. Offer pathways or branches to additional information.
6. Include supplemental print materials or a way to generate them.
7. Provide a teacher's guide or handbook with information on use with deaf students.
8. Provide tools and utilities for customizing your product.
9. Incorporate advance video organizers.

The accessibility guidelines were disseminated widely to multimedia producers, publishers, researchers, and educators. In addition, the Project produced a demonstration videotape and a resource guide on educational technology for deaf and hard-of-hearing students.

For a complete copy of the AIM Guidelines, contact NCAM.