June 6, 2024
5 minutes
Written by
InnoCaption App
Community News
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June 6, 2024
5 minutes
Written by
InnoCaption App
Community News
No items found.

Making Children's TV Accessible: PBS Kids' ASL Initiative

PBS Kids' recent ASL initiative marks a significant stride towards inclusivity in children's programming. The ASL interpretation will be integrated into six popular shows: 'Arthur', 'Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood', 'Alma’s Way', 'Donkey Hodie', 'Work It Out Wombats!', and 'Pinkalicious & Peterrific'. Each of these shows will feature 10 episodes with ASL interpretation, ensuring that children who are deaf or hard of hearing have equal access to educational and entertaining content. This initiative not only enhances accessibility but also promotes representation and inclusivity, fostering a more inclusive environment for all young viewers.

PBS Kids’ Accessibility Initiatives

PBS Kids is dedicated to ensuring that all children have equal access to educational and entertaining content. In addition to their recent initiative to include ASL interpreters in six of their shows, PBS Kids offers a range of accessibility features.They provide closed captioning on both broadcasts and digital platforms, catering to children who are deaf or hard of hearing by allowing them to follow along with dialogue in both Spanish and English. Moreover, recognizing the diverse needs of their audience, PBS Kids includes features in their games that allow children to adjust background noise levels. This customization helps neurodiverse children, such as those with sensory processing differences, to reduce distractions and better focus on gameplay. Additionally, PBS Kids conducts experiments with color contrast to optimize visibility for children who are low vision or blind. By carefully considering color choices and contrast levels, PBS Kids ensures that all children, can effectively view and engage with the content on screen. Through these initiatives, PBS Kids not only promotes accessibility but also embraces inclusivity, ensuring that all children can fully participate in and enjoy their educational programming.

Impact and Importance 

Enhancing accessibility in children's programming, such as incorporating American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation into six of its popular shows, marks a significant step forward in promoting inclusivity. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, approximately 2 to 3 out of every 1,000 children in the United States are born with a detectable level of hearing loss in one or both ears. In light of this, the inclusion of ASL interpretation is particularly crucial, given that ASL is recognized as the third-most commonly used language in the United States, following English and Spanish. By providing ASL interpretation in shows like 'Arthur', 'Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood', and others, this initiative helps offer equal access to educational and entertaining content for children who are deaf or hard of hearing, reinforcing the importance of recognizing and accommodating diverse communication needs in early childhood education. 

The image shows a scene from the cartoon 'Alma's Way' while an ASL interpreter signs. The scene in the show shows a man with deep colored skin and a beard wearing a green shirt adn hat with three parrots. The ASL interpreter has a medium complexion and dark wavy hair and is wearing a purple shirth

PBS Kids' Commitment to Accessibility

PBS Kids' introduction of ASL interpreters for their shows, alongside their other accessibility initiatives, represents a significant stride towards fostering inclusion and diversity in children's programming. By incorporating ASL interpretation into popular shows like 'Arthur' and 'Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood', PBS Kids is ensuring that children who are deaf or hard of hearing have equal access to educational and entertaining content. Moreover, PBS Kids' broader accessibility efforts, including closed captioning, neurodiverse-friendly games, and color contrast adjustments, demonstrate a commitment to accommodating diverse needs and creating an inclusive environment for all children. Through these initiatives, PBS Kids not only enhances accessibility but also promotes empathy, understanding, and acceptance among young viewers, paving the way for a more inclusive future.

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InnoCaption provides real-time captioning technology making phone calls easy and accessible for the deaf and hard of hearing community. Offered at no cost to individuals with hearing loss because we are certified by the FCC. InnoCaption is the only mobile app that offers real-time captioning of phone calls through live stenographers and automated speech recognition software. The choice is yours.

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