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Magister Scientiae - MSc (Computer Science) / This thesis describes the development cycles of an authoring tool that generalises scenario creation for SignSupport. SignSupport is a mobile communication tool for Deaf people that currently runs on an Android smartphone. The authoring tool is computer-based software that helps a domain expert, with little or no programming skills, design and populate a limited domain conversation scenario between a Deaf person and a hearing person, e.g., when a Deaf patient collects medication at a hospital pharmacy or when a Deaf learner is taking a computer literacy course. SignSupport provides instructions to the Deaf person in signed language videos on a mobile device. The authoring tool enables the creation and population of such scenarios on a computer for subsequent 'playback' on a mobile device. The output of this authoring tool is an XML script, alongside a repository of media les that can be used to render the SignSupport mobile app on any platform. Our concern was to iteratively develop the user interface for the authoring tool, focusing on the domain experts who create the overall flow and content for a given scenario. We had four development iterations, where the rst three were evaluated for usability; for both pharmacy and ICDL course scenarios with purposive sampling. The fourth iteration focused on using the authoring tool to design an ICDL practise mobile app, recording the necessary SASL videos and using an XML parser to render the designs XML script into an Android app. The research conducted herein leveraged multiple approaches to content authoring and generalisation; and further that software generalisation can improve accessibility and a ordability for the ultimate end users. The thesis concludes with a summary of recommendations and lessons learnt.

>Magister Scientiae - MSc / Many South African Deaf people use their mobile phones for communication with SMSs yet they would prefer to converse in South African Sign Language. Deaf people with a capital `D' are different from deaf or hard of hearing as they primarily use sign language to communicate. This study explores how to design and evaluate a prototype that will allow a Deaf person using SASL to tell a hearing doctor how s/he is feeling and provide a way for the doctor to respond. A computer{based prototype was designed and evaluated with the Deaf people in a previous study. Results from the user trial of the computer{based mock{up indicated that Deaf users would like to see the prototype on a cell phone. Those user trial results, combined with our own user survey results conducted with Deaf people, are used as requirements. We built a prototype for a mobile phone browser by embedding SASL videos inside XHTML pages using Adobe Flash. The prototype asks medical questions using SASL videos. These questions are arranged in an organized way that helps in identifying a medical problem. The answers to the questions are then displayed in English and shown to the doctor on the phone. A content authoring tool was also designed and implemented. The content authoring tool is used for populating the prototype in a context free manner allowing for plug and play scenarios such as a doctor's office, Department of Home A airs or police station. A focus group consisting of Deaf people was conducted to help in the design and pilot trial of the system. A final user trial was conducted with more than thirty Deaf people and the results are presented and analyzed. Data is collected with questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and video recordings. The results indicate that most of the Deaf people found the system easy to learn, easy to navigate through, did not get lost and understood the sign language in the videos on the mobile phone. The hand gestures and facial expressions on the sign language videos were clear. Most of them indicated they would like to use the system for free, and that the system did not ask too many questions. Most of them were happy with the quality of the sign language videos on the mobile phone and would consider using the system in real life. Finally they felt their private information was safe while using the system. Many South African Deaf people use their mobile phones for communication with SMSs yet they would prefer to converse in South African Sign Language. Deaf people with a capital `D' are different from deaf or hard of hearing as they primarily use sign language to communicate. This study explores how to design and evaluate a prototype that will allow a Deaf person using SASL to tell a hearing doctor how s/he is feeling and provide a way for the doctor to respond. A computer{based prototype was designed and evaluated with the Deaf people in a previous study. Results from the user trial of the computer{based mock{up indicated that Deaf users would like to see the prototype on a cell phone. Those user trial results, combined with our own user survey results conducted with Deaf people, are used as requirements. We built a prototype for a mobile phone browser by embedding SASL videos inside XHTML pages using Adobe Flash. The prototype asks medical questions using SASL videos. These questions are arranged in an organized way that helps in identifying a medical problem. The answers to the questions are then displayed in English and shown to the doctor on the phone. A content authoring tool was also designed and implemented. The content authoring tool is used for populating the prototype in a context free manner allowing for plug and play scenarios such as a doctor's office, Department of Home A airs or police station. A focus group consisting of Deaf people was conducted to help in the design and pilot trial of the system. A final user trial was conducted with more than thirty Deaf people and the results are presented and analyzed. Data is collected with questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and video recordings. The results indicate that most of the Deaf people found the system easy to learn, easy to navigate through, did not get lost and understood the sign language in the videos on the mobile phone. The hand gestures and facial expressions on the sign language videos were clear. Most of them indicated they would like to use the system for free, and that the system did not ask too many questions. Most of them were happy with the quality of the sign language videos on the mobile phone and would consider using the system in real life. Finally they felt their private information was safe while using the system. / South Africa