Abstract:

The aim of this study is to present the results of a platform for audiovisual contents, accessible for people with sensory functional diversity (auditory and visual), through different modes of translation and interpreting.

The purpose of this platform is multiple: first, it is aimed to be a contribution to the social and cultural integration of minority social groups; it also emphasizes in the creation of a repository of reference materials available both for people with sensory functional diversity, and professionals and trainers in the field of translation and interpreting; and, finally, it allows the evaluation of that accessible material through case studies which are carried out on the same platform, thus establishing quality standards and indices within the concept of universal accessibility standards in educational and commercial environments.

By ‘translation and interpreting’, we understand communicative processes that take place between a sender and a receiver, using different codes, i. e., semiotic systems of any nature: visual, tactile, auditory, verbal, or nonverbal. When the translation or interpretation searches the transmission of knowledge and, therefore, communication to people with sensory functional diversity (visual or auditory) it is called accessible translation. Different modes of translation are included: Interpretation in Spanish Sign Language (ILSE), Subtitling for the Deaf (SpS), and Audio Description (AD). The areas of application of these translation modalities in art and culture are essentially four: visual arts, performing arts, cultural heritage, and natural heritage.

In this study, the content of the platform belong to Media (e. g. Hurtado and Soler 2011.), Museums and Tourism (e. g. Darcy and Buhalis 2010; Solano et al 2008). They are also distributed in two main sections: Auditory and Visual Accessibility.

Meanwhile, case studies have been drawn from three types of questionnaires: their profile (age, educational level, type and severity of sensory dysfunction, etc.), their preferences and previous experiences in any of the leisure and cultural fields (movies, museums, natural areas, etc.), and their assessment of specific content related to each translation or interpreting mode.

Thanks to the participation of subjects who fill in these questionnaires, the study is renewed constantly, which constitute a form of innovative research in all three main aims.

References:
[1] Buhalis, D., & Darcy, S. (2010). Accessible tourism: Concepts and issues. Channel View Publications.
[2] Jimenez Hurtado, C., & Soler Gallego, S. (2013). Multimodality, translation and accessibility: a corpus-based study of audio description. Perspectives, 21(4), 577-594.
[3] Solano, R., Utray, F., Gálvez de la Cuesta, M. C., & Pajares, J. L. (2008). Multimedia and accessible museum guides: The GVAM prototype for the dress museum of Madrid. In International Conference of Inclusive Museum, Leiden, Holland.

Keywords:

Online platform, accessibility, case study evaluation, functional diversity.