Disability Rights Florida (DRF) recently contracted with UK-based Signly to be the second known US website and first known US disability organization to use Sign Language as a Service (SLaaS) to provide American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation of its website content.
How it Works
The D/deaf user clicks on the two white hands on the bottom right of a webpage to activate the service. The user then selects a paragraph on that webpage that they wish to view in ASL. To do so, they click the arrow in the text box next to the paragraph to play the ASL translation video. The video will play in the bottom right corner of the screen. Users can enlarge the interpreter’s video for their viewing ease. Content is translated based on request. If a signed version of a page is not available, the user selects “Request Signed Content.” Signly sends the written website content to a certified ASL interpreter who, in turn, creates a video recording in ASL which is added to the website within a week. Once translated, the video is available for all users.
At the moment, the most popular 10% of our website is translated. This percentage will grow as more D/deaf users request translation.
Why is it important to provide ASL when the written word is available?
Sign languages are structurally different from written and spoken languages. They use their own vocabulary and syntax and a different grammatical and sentence order. People who are D/deaf and use sign language often consider it to be their first language. In fact, many ASL users find it difficult to process written text because it’s technically an entirely different language. Most children who have been deaf since birth learned ASL before they learned to read or write. Offering ASL on a website provides full access to the D/deaf user and a better experience with the opportunity to fully comprehend the content.
“As an organization that serves individuals with disabilities, it’s imperative that our website is as accessible as possible to people with any disability. We have been searching for a solution to provide the 800,000+ Floridians who are D/deaf with a more inclusive user experience on our website and we’re looking forward to hearing their feedback,” said DRF Executive Director Peter Sleasman.
“We're thrilled to be launching Signly on the Disability Rights Florida website. By offering ASL on DRF's website, we're providing full, unimpeded access to content that can be comprehensively understood. It's not just about inclusivity; it's about equality. DRF's commitment to offering a more inclusive user experience to the 800,000+ Floridians who are Deaf is commendable, and we can't wait to hear their feedback on this impactful initiative," said Tim Scannell, Signly Ambassador.
