DEVELOPING NEWS PROGRAM ON INTERNET PROTOCOL TELEVISION (IPTV) FOR DEAF PEOPLE

Abstract

The research is an action research based on qualitative research method. The purposes of the research are to study the effects of exposure to News media broadcasting of the Deaf at the present, and to identify and propose the developing and producing News Program on Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) for Deaf. The process divided into four steps as follows: 1) Plan; Gathering the knowledge, Documentary studies, e.g. documents and researches related to the nature of the Deaf, watching television of the Deaf, In-depth Interviews with 5 experts and groups discussion among 10 Deaf representatives, summarizing and providing the experimental production plan, 2) Act; Producing the News Program broadcasting via television and on Internet, and getting the feedback from the audience deaf, including inviting representatives of related parties to comment, 3) Observe; Team meeting, the observed results record, and consider comments provided by the audiences, 4) Reflect; Considering the production Results and summary of the model.

Additionally, the research shows that the sign language grammar for the Deaf is different from the language used to communicate with hearing people, which results in the Deaf are not easy to convey and understand the character, such as printing Media, Internet Media, including subtitles. Most Deaf people prefer getting information and Media, but there is an obstacle in approaching the information as the interpreter on the TV screen is too small. Currently, there is a few number of Media with the interpreter on the TV Screen, and not various. In addition, as the Deaf have limited access to television news, i.e., watching TV only news images which may cause confusion and misunderstanding, therefore, hearing people and more explanation are required when they are watching the news.

Furthermore, as Deaf people use sign language to communicate, which may cause their television communicational capacities, and it is various from the ones that are heard in many respects, i.e. glaring sign language at the consecutive time. Therefore, the television news Media on Internet as appropriate should be features and development guidelines as the following. 1) In case that the audience is deaf and normal people, the television news Media on Internet should contain both audio and subtitles (caption). 2) The content of the Media should have content related to the deaf with the knowledge which deaf people are able to get access easily, including simple stuffs of everyday life. 3) Plot and sequence of the Media are required to be clearly defined, not switched. 4) The period of time of the Media should not exceed 30 Minutes. 5) Moderator should be a deaf person who is capable of reading both Thai and communicate with sign language. 6) Presentation Technic, Clothing, jewelry, makeup, hair must not interfere with sign language. The light must not shine at clothe, face or background, including the camera and editing transitions are required to stay maintained during the moderator is communicating with sign language. 7) Scene of the studio is required to be a smooth surface, not pretty flashy, no pattern, including props must not obscure the sign languages. 8) Computer graphics must not obscure the on-screen sign language. Presentation graphics or animation with the communication should not be presented in the same time with sign language. In order that the news programs are to be thoroughly accessible to everyone, for further researches, the Deaf study in the region must be made, and distributed in various demographic characteristics, including the study of the hearing people simultaneously.