[Linux-aus] Request for creation of "Video Recording and Streaming"

[Peter Lawler]

On 30/03/13 22:59, Ian wrote:
> I know I had problems with hearing a number of the talks because I wear
> hearing aids and they just didn't pick up the speaker at times.
> Also note that through a miscommunication the hearing Loop system wasn't
> able to be utilised in Llewellyn Hall as the Tech that could set that up
> was on leave at the time which meant a few of us had to arrange to be
> seated at the front to try to hear the keynote speakers. Once they knew of
> our problems the LCA Team did what they could to help but it was a Hall
> problem and out of their hands.
>
> Heads-up to future LCA's, check the presence and operation of Loop
> Induction systems for those of us with hearing loss.
>

My 2c,
I had heard (no pun intended) of particular difficulties some hearing 
aid users had with one keynote speaker this year. Not sure if it was 
you, but for the purposes of my early morning ramblings it doesn't 
really matter.

The loop wasn't working and the keynote speaker talked so fast the 
speaker was apparently mostly incomprehensible. The speaker permitted 
live streaming, however there was no permission granted for storage of 
the talk for later viewing/listening. Thus, I believe, this keynote was 
effectively a waste of time for some attendees.

Also, the issue of subtitling talks after the event. Whilst slides are 
usually quite easy to follow, some aren't but also the Q&A section at 
the end of talks - again particularly keynotes - may be of interest to 
those with hearing difficulties and the current solution, it would seem 
to me, is sub-optimal.

Some questions to which I'm not actually seeking answers right now, but 
to trigger some thoughts:
Should keynote streams should be live subtitled and/or an Auslan 
interpreter be utilised?
If there are no rights given for storage and later viewing (ie, this 
would have also applied to the DSD talk this year - this was in a small 
room with no audio loop)?
Should the timetable be clearly marked as to which talks won't be 
accessible?
Should keynote speakers be asked to provide their own script (no matter 
how 'bad' it's quality) beyond the slides for the purposes of aiding 
subtitling?
Should the slides themselves be made available along side the videos so 
TTS systems can be used?
(To bring it back to the original post of this thread) Should the Video 
& Recording subcomittee have as a directive from LA to investigate and 
deploy systems (speech to text applications [of the FLOSS nature, of 
course!] to aid in subtitling, custom audio loops, subtitling, Auslan 
interpreters) for hard of hearing as well as seek volunteers, away from 
LCA's own volunteers, for major events to assist with post-production 
subtitling (and should subtitlers receive attendance discounts or swag 
if they're going to perform this task remotely)?

I understand that there may have been no profoundly deaf people at 
LCA2013, but I do wonder if that is because there appears to be no 
formal system in place for their support and thus not clearly indicated 
on the official promotion and registration pages etc, instead of no one 
registering and asking. One thing's for sure, ironing out (some of) the 
above issues *before* they're needed by profoundly deaf would be of 
great assistance to aid any year's LCA and Video Team organisers 
discover in the final few weeks that they need to cross this bridge.


Pete.