About

This project addresses the accessibility challenges faced by Deaf audiences in museums, particularly when experiencing sound and sonic experiences. This research aims to adapt the Workshop for Inclusive Co-Created Audio Description (W-ICAD) model, originally designed for Blind visitors, to involve Deaf individuals in creating inclusive resources for museum exhibit sounds, enhancing the Deaf visitor experience. Drawing on Deaf Gain Theory and the Social Disability Model, this research will explore how involving Deaf people in creating tools for their own museum experiences can promote broader participation by dismantling inequitable systems. This project will involve collaboration with Deaf community members, museum experts, and British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters to develop innovative methods for representing sound experiences in ways that engage both visual and auditory senses. This will explore the potential for new signs and accessibility tools to foster broader inclusivity and for Deaf learners and promote higher engagement for all visitors.

The term “Deaf” in this proposal refers to individuals with varying hearing abilities, including those who use manual communication, spoken language, hearing technology, or those who identify with Deaf culture.