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18th Dec 2018

Huawei launches app designed to help make reading easier for deaf children

Eric Lalor

deaf children reading

An app that will prove very useful for millions of deaf children worldwide.

Following the recent launch of their Mate 20 Pro device, Huawei has announced the launch of StorySign, an app that will help enrich story time for deaf children and their parents.

There are approximately 32 million deaf children globally and many struggle to learn to read, often due to a lack of resources bridging sign language and reading.

Sign has no written form as there is no direct English word-for-word translation, which poses a huge challenge to deaf children learning to read. Alongside a lack of resources, many children do not get access to sign language at the crucial early learning stages; 90% of deaf children are born to hearing parents and 61% of those parents in Ireland admitted they only know some sign language or don’t know how to sign.

Created in conjunction with experts and charities for the deaf community, the app features a friendly avatar, Star, who guides children and parents through a selected children’s book, translating it into perfect sign language and signing along to the story in real time.

Pioneered by Huawei and featuring the beloved book ‘Where’s Spot’ by Eric Hill, StorySign is available for free in Ireland. The app is launched in partnership with the Irish Deaf Society to raise awareness and much needed support for the charity.

https://youtu.be/BNt-Up8KCZ0

Clip via Huawei Device Ireland

Members of the public can make a donation to the Huawei charity partners, which will go to support deaf literacy projects across Europe, including creating more books to go into the StorySign app, here.

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