Abstract

What do young adults (age 12-18) think entertainment consists of? Is it movies, television, computer games, video tapes, multi-media products? What about books, are books considered entertainment? Because interactive multi-media can incorporate text, sound, music, animation, Quicktime movies and allows user interaction, books have become a neglected part of the entertainment market. Even though multi-media can be highly interactive, reading books is highly interactive too. The readers must use their imagination to construct the many images, sounds, and moods of the book. There is the concern that people really don't know how to read. A vast majority of these multi-media games are aimed at boys, using the male as the main character of the game. Playing video games at an early age provides an entry to developing computer skills needed in the workforce. Girls have become alienated by not having games aimed at them. Using an active female character in the game instead of passive female roles would be one way to encourage girls to play with computers. Since many games rely on sound or have voice overs, it has excluded the deaf population from computer technology and entertainment as well. The purpose of this project is to create an interactive multi-media game that uses a book as part of the game. To play this game, the player must read the book for clues. This will encourage literacy and the perception of books as a form of entertainment. This project also encourages females to play with computers by using a book (Nancy Drew mystery) targeted at females. A person signing American Sign Language (ASL) will be in the multi-media game to show the translation between ASL and written English. ASL was never translated into written English and has created problems with those who are fluent in ASL but not in English (Van Biema, Time, 4V94, P- 76). Once completed, the game was evaluated by six fifth and sixth graders including three deaf children. This was mostly an oral critique of the project which was administered by the author. The responses were analyzed to determine if there was a generally positive or negative interaction with the format from the testing group. The overall response to the project was positive and they felt it would encourage them to read the book. The hearing children said the project with the ASL videos would stimulate interest in the language. In conclusion, to make an interactive multi-media game that uses a book more exciting other than just questions, the designer must collaborate with a writer which would create a challenge to the writer.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Interactive computer systems; American Sign Language--Computer-assisted instruction; English language--Written English--Computer-assisted instruction; Computer-assisted instruction

Publication Date

5-1-1994

Document Type

Thesis

Advisor

Not listed

Comments

Note: imported from RIT’s Digital Media Library running on DSpace to RIT Scholar Works in December 2013. Physical copy available through RIT's The Wallace Library at: QA76.9.I58 S78 1994

Campus

RIT – Main Campus

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