By Muyowa Mutemwa Supervisor: W D Tucker Co-Supervisor: M Norman

 SignSupport is a system that will ease communication between a Deaf and hearing users. ◦ A set of web pages, ◦ Each page has a combination of SASL videos and English text ◦ To enable a Deaf person to tell a doctor how s/he is feeling.  Requires a mobile phone with: ◦ A data connection ◦ And a browser that supports Adobe Flash video (FLV).

 Most Internet usage at the Bastion involves visual media, educational programmes in sign language, and Deaf channels on Youtube.  Flash Lite 3 brings engaging experiences like web content and streaming video to a mobile phone.  Most video playbacks of on mobile devices come in the form of third party media players.  Skyfire ( is a cross platform browser that enables Video streaming.

 Testing ◦ We tested a mock-up of the PC-based prototype of SignSupport at the Bastian. ◦ 4 Deaf users split into pairs ◦ Storyboard ◦ At the end of trial semi structured interview ◦ Recording using a video camera for further analysis  Results ◦ Overall, the users indicated that they would like to see the prototype developed further.

 Using Skyfire our intention is to design the next prototype with 'plug and play' scenarios, of which the doctor's visit is just one.  Experiment will be done with content stored on and off the device.  Xml, xhtml, wap  Embedding FLV files in wap pages.

 The initial SignSupport mock-up on the PC showed a potential to help Deaf users to communicate with people that do not sign.  The next version of SignSupport will run in a mobile browser and allow multiple content modules.  We will continue to conduct user trials with Deaf participants to provide a solution that is useful for them.  Testing will resemble that of the PC mock-up, but on a mobile phone.