Website signs up for a human rights award

Dec 17 2009 by Andrew Mernin, The Journal

A NORTH East-based website which reads stories to deaf children using sign language and animation has won a top human rights award.

Signed Stories, run by Gateshead's ITV SignPost, won the Doing IT Differently title at the Human Rights People of the Year awards hosted by disability network RADAR.

Every month more than 200,000 children log on to Signed Stories to access a rich library of books which is supported by video footage with sign language as well as audio.

The site is popular with both deaf and hearing children and even attracts users from as far afield as China, Norway and other parts of Europe.

The website was recognised by RADAR for meeting the organisation's criteria for IT innovation that has embraced inclusion and opened up the possibilities for disabled people to really participate in society.

The company's managing director Malcolm Wright collected the award at a glittering Studio 54-themed ceremony at London's Battersea Evolution.

He said: "Signed Stories is a massive hit with thousands of deaf and hearing children, their families and their carers.

"That's because of the hard work of all the ITV SignPost team and it's great to see that work recognised."

The award was presented by Dame Evelyn Glennie, the world famous deaf percussionist and a supporter of Signed Stories.

The RADAR award marks the third time this year that the storytelling website has been officially recognised.

In September it was highly commended at the IVCA Clarion awards and, earlier this year, Mr Wright picked up a 'Reading Hero' award from the Prime Minister's wife, Sarah Brown, at Downing Street.

ITV SignPost is the country's largest supplier of British Sign Language on-screen services for all platforms including television, video, CD-ROM, DVD, film and the internet. It is a subsidiary of ITV plc and is based at ITV Tyne Tees Television on Tyneside.

Signed Stories is a massive hit with thousands of deaf and hearing children.