The objective of the ViSiCAST project is to produce adaptable communication tools allowing sign language communication where only speech and text are available at present. These tools will be based on advanced technology for the synthetic generation, transmission, and storage of sign language to be developed by the project.

By the end of the project:

(1) a face to face transaction virtual signing system will have been trialed in UK Post Offices by at least 2 clerks and a panel of 5 deaf users;

(2) the signing preparation and virtual signing system will have been used to prepare and present at least 4 sample television programmes with virtual signing, and the feasibility of broadcast transmission of virtual signing within MPEG-2 multiplexes will have been established both through transmissions in the UK and Germany;

(3) the World Wide Web tools will have been installed and used in Web sites, and these will have been evaluated by representative members of the deaf community. The aim is to install examples of the annotated GML-based signing on at least 5 of the Web sites of the ViSiCAST participants.

To achieve these objectives the project is structured to have three application-orientated Work Packages, each focusing on the technical issues in delivery for that specific application area, and two enabling technology Work Packages, focusing on virtual signing, sign language representation, and sign language synthesis from conventional textual sources. A further evaluation Work Package is concerned with eliciting feedback from deaf people at various stages within the development of the system.