Saturday, March 31, 2012

Accessibility and Open-Source Apps: An Interview Podcast


 Image courtesy of www.littlegreenblog.com

Below you'll find an introduction, description, and transcript of a podcast mentioned in previous posts (Websites/Mobile and Podcasts/RSS).  I created this podcast for one of my graduate classes.  In particular - this interview is pertinent to my previous post in which I discussed open-source apps and how they can facilitate accessibility in museums.  We are still working on getting the actual podcast up...stay tuned!

(Please note:  When Kim and I speak about NMAI, we should have said NMAH.)

Concept Statement:  This podcast is the result of two reasons:  (one) the project was assigned in my Museums and Technology class, and (two), I am also co-writing a blog, www.museumtechnewbies.blogspot.com  with one of my classmates.  We are investigating how emerging technologies can help museums reach broader audiences.  The explosion of technology and the evolution of mobile devices, from smartphones to tablets, has really opened a lot of doors for museums to reach audiences on the go—inside and outside of the museum.  But the question of accessibility pops up when talking about these devices.  Do they actually enhance users’ experiences?  Can technology be used to break down barriers to access for visitors, or does it create new ones?  How do we ensure that tech is a turn on and not a turn off?  I’ve invited my colleague Kim Skerritt to talk about these issues and share a particularly positive example of how technology—in this case an open-sourced app—can provide several different target audiences with better access to learning opportunities in a variety of ways. 

Goal(s):  My goal for this project is to discuss how technology, and in this specific instance, an open-source app, can provide the public with greater access to institutions, collections, and learning opportunities, as well as give them a voice in the dialogue. 

Music Licensing Information:  The music in this podcast is “Smile (For a Bit)” by The Orchestral Movement of 1932 and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.


Time
Music
SFX
Narration
00:00
Podcast  opening theme “Smile (or a Bit)”


00:03
Podcast  opening theme “Smile (or a Bit)”
Crossfade music theme with LF Narration and fade out music
Begin Narration – LIZ FORT (LF):  This is Liz Fort, current GW MEP graduate student and public programs intern at the National Postal Museum….
00:08
Podcast theme out


Music theme faded out





LF:  My goal for this project is to discuss how technology, and in this specific instance, an open-source app, can provide the public with greater access to institutions, collections, and learning opportunities, as well as give them a voice in the dialogue…
05:12
Podcast  closing theme “Smile (For a Bit)”
Crossfade music theme with LF Narration and fade in music



LF: …It is clear from this example that open source mobile technology has the power to improve accessibility as long as institutions and creators are willing to engage and create with audiences and not just for them.  Many thanks to Kim Skerritt, The National Postal Museum, and The Ed Lab Programs for making this possible.
05:29
Podcast theme
Music theme fades out

05:34
Podcast music out
(faded out)
Clip over!

 Podcast Transcript


1.        Introduction:  (LIZ talks…)

A.     Who is Liz?
a.    This is Liz Fort, current GW MEP graduate student and public programs intern at the National Postal Museum.
B.      What is the goal of this podcast?
a.    My goal for this project is discuss how technology, and in this specific instance, an open-source app, can provide the public with greater access to institutions, collections, and learning opportunities, as well as give them a voice in the dialogue with that institution.
C.     Who is my guest, Kim Skerritt?
a.    My guest today is Kim Skerritt.  Kim is the Ed Lab Program Educator at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum's EdLab.

2.       Interview:

A.    Museums, mobile, technology, user-generated content, accessibility:
a.       LIZ:  We hear a lot today about this hot topic of technology in museums.  The explosion of technology and the evolution of mobile devices from smartphones to tablets has really opened a lot of doors for museums to reach audiences on the go.  Mobile technology can enhance both an onsite and an offsite visit.  But the question of accessibility pops up when talking about these devices.  Do they actually enhance users’ experiences?  Can technology be used to break down barriers to access for visitors, or does it create new ones?  How do we ensure that tech is a turn on and not a turn off?  And that’s why I’ve invited my colleague Kim Skerritt here today to talk about these issues and share a particularly positive example of how technology can provide several different target audiences with better access to learning opportunities in a variety of ways. 
B.      LIZ:  What is open-source anyway?  And why is it important?
a.  KIM:  Open source is really a philosophy.  It’s about having something and being able to share it.  Museums are all about sharing what they have so I think that open source and museums fit together pretty well.
C.    LIZ:  And when we say “accessibility” what is it that we mean by that?
a.    LIZ:  I think a lot of times when we say “accessibility” we tend to think about wheelchairs and the visually impaired.  But that’s not what we mean by “accessibility” in this case. 
b.   KIM:  Accessibility in today’s world—where we have all of this technology—we can really broaden that definition to mean so many other things. 
c.    LIZ:  Let’s talk about an example of how a museum is using that open source technology to make art more accessible
D.    Example, Version 1 – SCAPES
a.    LIZ:   The project is called “SCAPES,” and it was created by Halsey Burgund – a musician and sound artist who lives and works in Massachusetts.  Burgund’s project provides participants with an active role in content.  He uses an open source platform, GPS technology, and interactivity to create musical scores from participants' spoken words that continuously evolve in real-time. SCAPES is a participatory sound art installation which 'inhabits' the entire sculpture park at the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum.  Contributions to the piece are made using a custom app which allows participants to tag any location in the park with their own recordings which are then immediately incorporated into the piece.
E.     SCAPES and Accessibility…
a.    LIZ:  How accessible was SCAPES and what did it offer participants?
b.    KIM:  Experiencing the app personally, I found that there were, you know, children – probably five years old and younger – that were getting engaged with this.  People who weren’t interested in modern art were actually able to engage with art in a new way.
c.    LIZ:  In terms of accessibility, anyone could use it – even a five year old as we just heard Kim say.  It was also free – you didn’t have to buy it on the iTunes store.  Additionally, if you did not have your own smartphone device, you could borrow one from the museum for free. 
F.     Reincarnation…Version 2  - Stories from Main Street
a.    LIZ:  But that’s not the end of this app’s story.  Instead it is being reincarnated for different uses at other institutions.  Kim, how did that come to be?
b.   KIM:  When Halsey was brought on as an artist in residence at the Smithsonian he spent four months here over the past year.  While he was here, people at different units found out about work and thought, what a great opportunity to be able to recycle, repackage the work that he’s already done.  So one great example of what’s happened is SITES (Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibits Unit), has taken the app and created one that is called “Stories from Main Street” that goes around with their traveling exhibits all over the nation and has used this same sort of audio technology to record stories, recipes, anything that people want to share. 
c.    LIZ:  What a great example of how people all over the country – even if they can’t come to DC – can share their experience in an easy way, they just talk about it.  It’s really a way for all of us to archive the gems of the American Experience. 
G.    Reincarnation…Version 3 - NMAI (Should have said NMAH)
a.    LIZ:  So Kim, what about a third repackaging of this amazing app?
b.   KIM:  Well I’ve heard whisperings of the app actually being repackaged again at the American Indian Museum (NMAI). [Actually, National Museum of American History]
c.    LIZ:  This same open source app will allow visitors and staff at NMAI to record their thoughts about the collections and share them with anyone who uses the free app.  It’s basically the cell audio tour – reinvented.  This time with many more voices included in the dialogue, from curators, educators to exhibit designers, and even NMAI’s visitors.  Unlike traditional, authoritative and static audio tours, this tour, like Halsey Bergund’s original SCAPES project, will be dynamic and ever-evolving as new voices join the dialogue.  Additionally, this free app will be available to all visitors, not just the blind or visually impaired.  Hopefully it will even be available to online visitors too – bringing the accessibility level of NMAI’s collections to a whole new level. 

3.      Closure:
A.     Conclusion:
a.     LIZ:  As we can see from these projects, open source apps are a wonderful way to share collections and foster dialogue with broader audiences – improving accessibility at three different institutions.  The simple open source platform created by Halsey Bergund enabled this technology to reincarnate three times so far with limitless possibilities for the future.  It’s clear from this example that open source mobile technology has the power to improve accessibility as long as institutions and creators are willing to engage and create with audiences and not just for them. 
B.     Thanks:
a.    LIZ:  Many thanks to Kim Skerritt, the National Postal Museum, and the Ed Lab Program for making this possible.