Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-05T13:53:44Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 25 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Grandes avanços na ciência têm ocorrido nos últimos anos, provocando um processo de mudanças sócio-culturais, no qual o acesso a novas tecnologias se torna extremamente importante para todos. Entretanto, a grande maioria das ferramentas computacionais não está preparada para uso por pessoas portadoras de necessidades especiais. Mesmo assim, algumas iniciativas estão sendo desenvolvidas para difundir as línguas de sinais como forma de apoiar a inclusão digital e social dos surdos. Porém, a utilização dessas línguas em software ainda é bastante complexa e dispendiosa. Assim, este trabalho teve como objetivo o desenvolvimento da SWService, uma biblioteca que visa fornecer os recursos necessários para que softwares baseados na web possam utilizar a Língua Brasileira de Sinais. A solução apresenta como principal vantagem a utilização da tecnologia de Web Services, o que permite seu uso sem necessidade de desenvolvimento ou instalação local. Além disso, foram realizados um estudo de caso e uma pesquisa de opinião s / Great advances in science have been made in the last years promoting a social-cultural changing process, in which the access to the new technologies becomes too important for all. However, most of computational tools are not prepared to people who has special necessities. Some initiatives have been developed to spread out the sign languages as a way to make possible the deaf digital and social inclusion. But, the use of these languages in software is still complex and expensive. Thus, the aim of this work was to develop a library, SWService, which provides the wanted features to enable web-based software to use the Brazilian Sign Language. This solution presents as main advantage the use of Web Services technology witch allows the SWService use without local development or installation necessity. Besides, a case study and an opinion research applied to Sign WebForum, a discussion forum which uses the SWService to permits the writing and reading of messages both in Portuguese and Libras, were realized.

O objetivo dessa pesquisa é analisar o texto em Escrita de Sinais (sistema SignWriting) da obra Cinderela Surda (HESSEL; KARNOPP; ROSA, 2003) no que se refere a coesão textual. Especificamente, identificamos as estratégias de referenciar personagens no texto e de conexão entre trechos relevantes da narrativa. Para fundamentação teórica, baseamos em Koch e Travaglia (2001), Fávero (2002) e Marcuschi (2008) sobre coesão e coerência textual, em Bolgueroni e Viotti (2013) sobre referência nominal em Libras, e em Nobre (2011) e Barreto e Barreto (2013) sobre a produção textual em Escrita de Sinais. A partir da análise da obra, observamos que a retomada de referentes acontece através de (i) proformas, em pronomes, advérbio e numeral, (ii) elipse, em verbos simples e em verbos de concordância, (iii) conjunção, por exemplo, os sinais MAS, e PORQUE, e (iv) reinteração. Identificamos a relevância dos sinais SUSTO e ACONTECE, como elementos importantes a introduzir momentos relevantes da trama, e a ausência de sinais que denotam sequencialidade temporal. A segmentação e sequencialidade de trechos da obra acontece em boa parte através do uso de imagens (elementos extratextuais). Este trabalho é oportuno porque possibilita um maior conhecimento sobre a produção textual em Escrita de Sinais, no que se refere a coesão em SignWriting, que encontra-se em expansão no Brasil / This research aims at analyzing the work Cinderela Surda (Deaf Cinderella) in Sign Writing (using Sign Writing system) (HESSEL; KARNOPP; ROSA, 2003), in terms of cohesion. Specifically, we identify the strategies to refence the characters in the text and the connection among relevant parts of the narrative. For the theoretical assumptions, we base our discussion on Koch and Travaglia (2001), Fávero (2002) and Marcuschi (2008), who discuss cohesion and coherence; Bolgueroni and Viotti (2013), who discuss nominal reference in Brazilian Sign Language; and Nobre (2011) and Barreto and Barreto (2013), who discuss text composition in Sign Writing. Parting from the analysis of the work, we observe that the reiteration of referents happens through: (i)proforms, in pronouns, adverband numbers; (i) ellipsis, in simple verbs and agreement verbs; (iii) conjunctions, for example, the sings BUT, and BECAUSE; and (iv) reintegration. We identify the relevance of the signs FRIGHT and HAPPEN, as important elements to introduce relevant moments in the plot, and the absence of signs which denote temporal sequentiality. The segmentation and sequentiality of some parts of the work happen mainly in the use of images (extratextual elements). This work is important because it enables greater knowledge on textual composition in Sign Writing, regarding cohesion in Sign Writing, which is expanding nowadays in Brazil.

Magister Scientiae - MSc / This thesis presents an approach for automatically generating signing animations from a sign language notation. An avatar endowed with expressive gestures, as subtle as changes in facial expression, is used to render the sign language animations. SWML, an XML format of SignWriting is provided as input. It transcribes sign language gestures in a format compatible to virtual signing. Relevant features of sign language gestures are extracted from the SWML. These features are then converted to body animation pa- rameters, which are used to animate the avatar. Using key-frame animation techniques, intermediate key-frames approximate the expected sign language gestures. The avatar then renders the corresponding sign language gestures. These gestures are realistic and aesthetically acceptable and can be recognized and understood by Deaf people. / South Africa

<p>This thesis presents an approach for automatically generating signing animations from a sign language notation. An avatar endowed with expressive gestures, as subtle as changes in facial expression, is used to render the sign language animations. SWML, an XML format of SignWriting is provided as input. It transcribes sign language gestures in a format compatible to virtual signing. Relevant features of sign language gestures are extracted from the SWML. These features are then converted to body animation pa- rameters, which are used to animate the avatar. Using key-frame animation techniques, intermediate key-frames approximate the expected sign language gestures. The avatar then renders the corresponding sign language gestures. These gestures are realistic and aesthetically acceptable and can be recognized and understood by Deaf people.</p>

<p>This thesis presents an approach for automatically generating signing animations from a sign language notation. An avatar endowed with expressive gestures, as subtle as changes in facial expression, is used to render the sign language animations. SWML, an XML format of SignWriting is provided as input. It transcribes sign language gestures in a format compatible to virtual signing. Relevant features of sign language gestures are extracted from the SWML. These features are then converted to body animation pa- rameters, which are used to animate the avatar. Using key-frame animation techniques, intermediate key-frames approximate the expected sign language gestures. The avatar then renders the corresponding sign language gestures. These gestures are realistic and aesthetically acceptable and can be recognized and understood by Deaf people.</p>

A presente dissertação tem como objetivo analisar as narrativas de professores de surdos sobre a escrita da língua de sinais (ELS), que é o sistema de registro escrito da Língua Brasileira de Sinais. Para isso, foram realizadas entrevistas narrativas com nove profissionais que trabalham em escolas de surdos. A construção desta dissertação se deu entre os anos de 2011 e 2013 e durante o trabalho contatei com as escolas que tinham alunos surdos matriculados buscando aquelas que utilizavam a ELS em suas práticas escolares. Obtive o retorno de três escolas e nelas entrevistei professores e equipe diretiva. A pesquisa foi desenvolvida na perspectiva dos Estudos Surdos e dos Estudos Culturais em Educação, campos a partir dos quais utilizo os conceitos de narrativa, identidade, diferença e cultura, dialogando com autores como Hall (2007), Silva (2009), Perlin (2005), Stumpf (2005), Zappe (2010) e outros. A ELS é a escrita visual da língua de sinais e se situa na história da educação de surdos muito recentemente. A partir das respostas das entrevistas, foram feitos os seguintes agrupamentos temáticos: a importância da ELS; ELS como estratégia ou produção surda? e ELS no currículo escolar: surdos empoderados. / The intention of this dissertation is to analyse the narratives of deaf teachers about sign writing (SW). SW is the written system of the Sign Language. To achieve that, narrative interviews with nine different professionals that works in schools for deaf were made. The data was collected between 2011 and 2013 and, during the work, I searched schools that had deaf students enrolled, seeking those that use SW in their school practices. Three schools answered me and I interviewed their teachers and directive board. The perpective adopted in this research was the Deaf Studies and Cultural Studies in Education, and I use the concepts of narrative, identity, difference and culture that are in these perspective, using authors like Hall (2007), Silva (2010), Perlin (2005), Stumpf (2005), Zappe (2010) and others. The SW is the visual writing of the sign language and is part of the recent history of deaf education. Taking the answers of the interviews as an starting point, some thematic groups emerged: the importance of SW; SW as an strategy or deaf production? SW in the school curricula: deaf empowered.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This work is situated in the field of Cultural Studies in Education, and articulated with theoretical issues from Deaf Studies. It aims at investigating the movement towards Sign Writing in Deaf Education through discussion forums in Orkut communities. Such interest caused me to know and research about Sign Writing, leading me to observe discourses produced in Orkut communities as discursive practices in which words have power and produce meanings. I have considered the following issues: Is it necessary to translate Sign Language into its written form? Can Sign Writing be understood as a deaf cultural translation? How can we think of Sign Writing as a deaf cultural mark as well as a deaf identity formation? From these guiding questions, a methodological path has been delineated in order to approach the theme, and the research has focused on discursive productions about Sign Writing. Three communities dealing with Sign Writing have been found in Orkut. I myself have designed a community called Escrita da Língua de Sinais along the research, aiming at fostering discussions. Questions have been formulated so as to observe the movement of members belonging to each community. A few manifestations have been noticed as a response to the first questioning, but less than expected. I supposed that a larger number of comments would be richer. Such situation led me to perceive that the discursive materiality of forums is interesting to be analyzed, regardless its quantity. As the low participation in the communities was unexpected, I have focused my study on the community that presented the largest number of forums and, consequently, of active members. In the narratives found, discussions about teaching and learning Sign Writing have been highlighted, which I have categorized together with the idea of in-between . In the interstices of this study, I have found some of my research questions. The meaning of writing Sign Language has been understood as a deaf cultural mark that goes beyond noticeable issues related to teaching and learning. I have found evidences of cultural markers in which discourses produce discussions about learning and its importance, going beyond methodological issues the importance of belonging to deaf culture, thus strengthening the difference of being deaf. / Este trabalho inscreve-se no campo dos Estudos Culturais em Educação, articulado com as questões teóricas dos Estudos Surdos. Teve por objetivo investigar o movimento acerca da Escrita da Língua de Sinais legitimada na Educação de Surdos em fóruns de discussão em comunidades da rede virtual Orkut.Tal interesse instigou-me a conhecer e pesquisar sobre a Escrita da Língua de Sinais, levando-me a observar os discursos produzidos nas comunidades do Orkut como práticas discursivas, em que as palavras têm força e produzem significados. Olhei para as seguintes questões: qual a necessidade de traduzir a Língua de Sinais para a sua forma escrita? A Escrita da Língua de Sinais pode ser entendida como tradução cultural surda? Como pensar na Escrita da Língua de Sinais como marca cultural surda e como formação identitária surda? Com essas questões norteadoras, delineou-se um caminho metodológico para contemplar essa temática, e a pesquisa focalizou as produções discursivas acerca da Escrita da Língua de Sinais. Encontrei, na rede virtual Orkut, três comunidades que tratavam sobre a Escrita da Língua de Sinais. Também criei, no decorrer da pesquisa, uma comunidade chamada de Escrita da Língua de Sinais , a fim de fomentar as discussões. Foram lançados questionamentos com o intuito de observar qual seria o movimento dos membros de cada comunidade. Percebi que, num primeiro questionamento, apareceram algumas manifestações, no entanto, poucas diante do que eu esperava. Acreditava que um maior número de comentários seria mais rico. Tal situação levou-me a perceber que a materialidade discursiva dos fóruns é interessante de ser analisada, independentemente da quantidade. De forma inesperada pela participação nas comunidades, focalizei meu estudo na comunidade que apresentava o maior número de fóruns e, consequentemente, de membros ativos participantes. Nas narrativas encontradas, ficaram salientes as discussões sobre ensino e aprendizagem da Escrita da Língua de Sinais, o que categorizei juntamente com a ideia de entre-lugar . Nos interstícios do estudo, encontrei algumas de minhas questões de pesquisa. O sentido de escrever a Língua de Sinais é entendido como marca cultural surda para além das questões de ensino e aprendizagem que saltam aos olhos. Foram encontradas evidências de marcadores culturais em que os discursos produziam discussões sobre como aprender e sobre sua importância para além das questões metodológicas a importância de pertencer à cultura surda, potencializando a diferença de ser surdo.

A presente dissertação tem como objetivo analisar as narrativas de professores de surdos sobre a escrita da língua de sinais (ELS), que é o sistema de registro escrito da Língua Brasileira de Sinais. Para isso, foram realizadas entrevistas narrativas com nove profissionais que trabalham em escolas de surdos. A construção desta dissertação se deu entre os anos de 2011 e 2013 e durante o trabalho contatei com as escolas que tinham alunos surdos matriculados buscando aquelas que utilizavam a ELS em suas práticas escolares. Obtive o retorno de três escolas e nelas entrevistei professores e equipe diretiva. A pesquisa foi desenvolvida na perspectiva dos Estudos Surdos e dos Estudos Culturais em Educação, campos a partir dos quais utilizo os conceitos de narrativa, identidade, diferença e cultura, dialogando com autores como Hall (2007), Silva (2009), Perlin (2005), Stumpf (2005), Zappe (2010) e outros. A ELS é a escrita visual da língua de sinais e se situa na história da educação de surdos muito recentemente. A partir das respostas das entrevistas, foram feitos os seguintes agrupamentos temáticos: a importância da ELS; ELS como estratégia ou produção surda? e ELS no currículo escolar: surdos empoderados. / The intention of this dissertation is to analyse the narratives of deaf teachers about sign writing (SW). SW is the written system of the Sign Language. To achieve that, narrative interviews with nine different professionals that works in schools for deaf were made. The data was collected between 2011 and 2013 and, during the work, I searched schools that had deaf students enrolled, seeking those that use SW in their school practices. Three schools answered me and I interviewed their teachers and directive board. The perpective adopted in this research was the Deaf Studies and Cultural Studies in Education, and I use the concepts of narrative, identity, difference and culture that are in these perspective, using authors like Hall (2007), Silva (2010), Perlin (2005), Stumpf (2005), Zappe (2010) and others. The SW is the visual writing of the sign language and is part of the recent history of deaf education. Taking the answers of the interviews as an starting point, some thematic groups emerged: the importance of SW; SW as an strategy or deaf production? SW in the school curricula: deaf empowered.

A presente dissertação tem como objetivo analisar as narrativas de professores de surdos sobre a escrita da língua de sinais (ELS), que é o sistema de registro escrito da Língua Brasileira de Sinais. Para isso, foram realizadas entrevistas narrativas com nove profissionais que trabalham em escolas de surdos. A construção desta dissertação se deu entre os anos de 2011 e 2013 e durante o trabalho contatei com as escolas que tinham alunos surdos matriculados buscando aquelas que utilizavam a ELS em suas práticas escolares. Obtive o retorno de três escolas e nelas entrevistei professores e equipe diretiva. A pesquisa foi desenvolvida na perspectiva dos Estudos Surdos e dos Estudos Culturais em Educação, campos a partir dos quais utilizo os conceitos de narrativa, identidade, diferença e cultura, dialogando com autores como Hall (2007), Silva (2009), Perlin (2005), Stumpf (2005), Zappe (2010) e outros. A ELS é a escrita visual da língua de sinais e se situa na história da educação de surdos muito recentemente. A partir das respostas das entrevistas, foram feitos os seguintes agrupamentos temáticos: a importância da ELS; ELS como estratégia ou produção surda? e ELS no currículo escolar: surdos empoderados. / The intention of this dissertation is to analyse the narratives of deaf teachers about sign writing (SW). SW is the written system of the Sign Language. To achieve that, narrative interviews with nine different professionals that works in schools for deaf were made. The data was collected between 2011 and 2013 and, during the work, I searched schools that had deaf students enrolled, seeking those that use SW in their school practices. Three schools answered me and I interviewed their teachers and directive board. The perpective adopted in this research was the Deaf Studies and Cultural Studies in Education, and I use the concepts of narrative, identity, difference and culture that are in these perspective, using authors like Hall (2007), Silva (2010), Perlin (2005), Stumpf (2005), Zappe (2010) and others. The SW is the visual writing of the sign language and is part of the recent history of deaf education. Taking the answers of the interviews as an starting point, some thematic groups emerged: the importance of SW; SW as an strategy or deaf production? SW in the school curricula: deaf empowered.

>Magister Scientiae - MSc / This thesis investigates the modelling and animation of virtual humans for real-time sign language visualisation. Sign languages are fully developed natural languages used by Deaf communities all over the world. These languages are communicated in a visual-gestural modality by the use of manual and non-manual gestures and are completely di erent from spoken languages. Manual gestures include the use of hand shapes, hand movements, hand locations and orientations of the palm in space. Non-manual gestures include the use of facial expressions, eye-gazes, head and upper body movements. Both manual and nonmanual gestures must be performed for sign languages to be correctly understood and interpreted. To e ectively visualise sign languages, a virtual human system must have models of adequate quality and be able to perform both manual and non-manual gesture animations in real-time. Our goal was to develop a methodology and establish an open framework by using various standards and open technologies to model and animate virtual humans of adequate quality to e ectively visualise sign languages. This open framework is to be used in a Machine Translation system that translates from a verbal language such as English to any sign language. Standards and technologies we employed include H-Anim, MakeHuman, Blender, Python and SignWriting. We found it necessary to adapt and extend H-Anim to e ectively visualise sign languages. The adaptations and extensions we made to H-Anim include imposing joint rotational limits, developing exible hands and the addition of facial bones based on the MPEG-4 Facial De nition Parameters facial feature points for facial animation. By using these standards and technologies, we found that we could circumvent a few di cult problems, such as: modelling high quality virtual humans; adapting and extending H-Anim; creating a sign language animation action vocabulary; blending between animations in an action vocabulary; sharing animation action data between our virtual humans; and e ectively visualising South African Sign Language. / South Africa