SWift -- A SignWriting improved fast transcriber
This tool aims to help break down ICT barriers for the deaf community and others who use SignWriting, though it appears incremental as it builds on existing SignWriting concepts.
The authors tackled the problem of electronic barriers for the deaf community by developing SWift, an advanced editor for computer-aided writing and transcribing using SignWriting, which facilitates composition and saving of signs through a guided procedure.
We present SWift (SignWriting improved fast transcriber), an advanced editor for computer-aided writing and transcribing using SignWriting (SW). SW is devised to allow deaf people and linguists alike to exploit an easy-to-grasp written form of (any) sign language. Similarly, SWift has been developed for everyone who masters SW, and is not exclusively deaf-oriented. Using SWift, it is possible to compose and save any sign, using elementary components called glyphs. A guided procedure facilitates the composition process. SWift is aimed at helping to break down the "electronic" barriers that keep the deaf community away from Information and Communication Technology (ICT). The editor has been developed modularly and can be integrated everywhere the use of SW, as an alternative to written vocal language, may be advisable.