Chat software in SignWriting starting to grow in the UK...

[Valerie Sutton]

SignWriting List
June 13, 2004

Dear SignWriting List:
I just received this email from Andrew Mould, who has already created 
chat room interfaces for communicating in pictures of fingerspelling 
and signs...Read his message below to visit his interesting site. 
Notice that Andrew mentions his interest in doing the same for 
SignWriting. Meanwhile, other programmers have already started doing a 
chat room in SignWriting, in the UK, so the field is starting to 
broaden...Val ;-)

---------------------------

Programmer Andrew Mould from the UK wrote:

> Hi, I thought you may be interested in the following work that has 
> been taking place at Goldsmiths college, University of London. This is 
> detailed below: -
>  
> Makaton and fingerspelling instant messaging systems: -
>  
> 1) Finger-Chat is an instant messaging system that provides the 
> ability to view conversations in both English and Fingerspelling. The 
> symbol sets used can be changed to meet internationalisation 
> requirements (eg. it can utilise the different fonts availible on your 
> site).
>  
> http://www.assist-tech.gold.ac.uk/finger-chat
>  
> 2) Mak-Messenger is an instant messaging system that uses symbols from 
> the Makaton sign language. The symbol set consists of a series of gif 
> images and is expandable.
>  
> http://www.assist-tech.gold.ac.uk/mak-messenger
>  
> Other work: -
>  
> Other work relating to deaf communication and sign-language will 
> hopefully be posted up on the site later in the year (I'm not sure 
> exactly when this will be as I am not directly involved with it).
>   
> http://www.assist-tech.gold.ac.uk
>  
> I am hoping to pursue some more advanced projects using SignWriting as 
> part of a phd. However, this is dependant upon my marks and college 
> approval.:-) If it works out I may be in contact again soon. 
>  
> Thanks.
>  
> Andrew Mould.