Language Android Application for People

with Deaf Disabilities.

A Thesis Presented to
The Faculty of The College of Computer Studies
Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Pasig
______________________________________

In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree of
Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
______________________________________

by
Balbaboco, Dionisio B.
Merin, John Carlo A.
Taal, Redick Jake D.

October, 2021
 Chapter I

The Problem and Its Background

A. Introduction

Deaf is a disability that impair their hearing and make them unable to hear, therefore can

still do much other things. The only thing that separates deaf and the normal people is

communication. According to Mayleen Dorcas B. Castro (2018), Communication is a

fundamental part of every human being. But for people who are mute &hearing impaired,

communication is a big challenge. To communicate and understand them, one has to either learn

their language through sign language, hand signals or gestures. There are some projects that was

develop for hearing-impaired person, they used different software to create a system that can

help the hearing-impaired person. If there is a way for normal people and deaf people to

communicate, the deaf people can easily live like a normal person. And the only way for them to

communicate is through sign language. Sign languages are an extremely important

communication tool for many deaf and hard-of-hearing people. Sign languages are the native

languages of the Deaf community and provide full access to communication, to communicate

both with normal people and with themselves. We as the normal people, tend to ignore the

importance of sign language, unless there are loved ones or any relatives who are deaf. One of

the solutions to communicate with the deaf people is by using the services of sign language

interpreter. But the usage of sign language interpreter can be costly. Therefore, our group wants
to find a way for the deaf people to communicate, express their feelings and makes them

communicate comfortably with normal person. To breakthrough this communication problem we

decided to create an application. This application aims to normal people to learn the sign

language as well enhance the ability of deaf people to use sign language.

The application will give importance to the people with deaf disability that they are also

part of community. This application will also benefit the people with no disability who wants to

interact to the deaf people.

B. Background of the study

Objectives of the Study

The research aim is to develop a mobile application that uses illustrations and pictures by

improving the learning involvement of deaf people to other people.

In line with this, the project aims to achieve the following specific objectives:

 To identify images accurately and provide sign language guide and translation with the

use of pictures and videos.

 To apply the cognitive learning approach in Language android application for people

with deaf disabilities.

useful. Create a virtual machine through an emulator and one of the features of an

android studio that is identical to the actual mobile phone.

 Create some features: such as letters, numbers, words, colors, text to speech, and random

quizzes.

 To test the learning assessment and communicate without the help of assistance in

Language android application for people with deaf disabilities.

C. Significance of the Study

For deaf people, it helps them boost their confident and have the chance to be considered

in the community like a normal person by the help of this application. Many possibilities of

people to learn and to adopt the sign language communication. As well for normal people, this

application will benefit them to not being ignorant with such signs also for them to be educated.

Below is a list of significant contributions of the study.

 In global context, the study will give importance to the deaf people.

 In societal context, the study will give confident to deaf people to communicate to other

people.

 In environmental context, the study will let them feel that they also part of the

community.
D. Scope and Limitation

Scope

This study focused mainly on the design and development of an Android application:

Sign language guide for people with deaf disability an application system that will help the

hearing-impaired person to communicate with others. The study covers the following:

 It will focus in deaf persons only. It will not tackle other kinds of disabilities except for

them.

 For the application, it only consists of sign language and a text that will convert into

speech.

 The application is for Android user only

Limitations

The limitation of this study will be limited only in sign language (images) that will

convert into text and a text that will convert into speech. The respondents of this study will

be focuses on deaf persons. It will not tackle other kinds of disabilities except for them. A

voice converts into sign language and a motion sensor where sign language will convert into

words is not supported by the application.

Figure 1 is the conceptual framework which presents the process of the system

development. The study was presented using the three dimensions of conceptual paradigm:

input, process and output.

Figure 1. Conceptual framework

The first frame is the Input stage which involved the user requirements like knowledge in

hand gestures, text input and sign language, which are needed in the development of the system.

System requirements were also considered which include the hardware requirements and
software specifications needed to develop the system. Related literature, related studies, internet

articles and online researches were also reviewed.

The second frame is the Process stage. In this study, the proponent adopted the Agile

Model which is a conceptual model used in project management that describes the stages

involved in an application system development project, from an initial feasibility study through

maintenance of the completed application. In addition, data gathering also part of the process of

completing the research. For the Output stage, this is the developed application system entitled,

“Android application: Sign language guide for people with deaf disability”.

F. Operational Definition of Terms

 Deaf disabilities: Researchers main target user to use our mobile application to help

them to learn to communicate with other people.

 Aide application: Researchers use this system to design and make an application.

 Sign Language: It is what deaf people use to communicate with different people.
 Chapter II

Review of Related Literatures and Studies

2.1 Review of Existing System

Assistive Android Application for Hearing Impaired People Using Sign Language - Joshi,

A., et al. "Assistive Android Application for hearing impaired people using Sign Language."

Advances in Natural and Applied Sciences, vol. 11, no. 7, May 2017, pp. 166+. Hearing

impaired people rarely used mobile phones before the introduction of SMS/MMS. Now texting

allows both the deaf and hearing people to communicate with each other. Mobile video chat may

one day replace texting but are not suitable for hearing impaired callers. Sign Language is the

primary means of communication in the deaf community. The problem arises when the deaf

people try to express themselves to other people with the help of these sign language grammar.

Our proposed system provides a learning as well as an interactive application. It enables both

normal and deaf people to learn the sign language and also provides communication between

them via text messages and sign language videos.

Figure 2.2 Assistive Android Application for Hearing impaired person

The proposed system has several advantages but does not act as a translator and hence in the

future works, the application can be developed as one which consists of both the existing

advantages as well as acts as a translator and does translation of up to 80 languages.

2.2 Cognitive Learning Approach

Cognitive approaches to learning are concerned with how information is processed by

learners. Cognitive theories view students as active in “an internal learning process that involves
memory, thinking, reflection, abstraction, motivation, and meta-cognition” (Ally, 2008).

Students organize old knowledge, scripts, and schema, find relationships, and link new

information to old (Cognitive Theories of Learning, n.d.). Ertmer and Newby (1993) note that

“learning is a change in the state of knowledge, and is a mental activity where an active learner

internally codes and structures knowledge” (p. 58). They believe that “the real focus of the

cognitive approach is on changing the learner by encouraging him/her to use appropriate learning

strategies” (Ertmer & Newby, 1993, p. 59).

The effects of implementing cognitive learning theory principles in computer assisted

instruction of educational psychology concepts. A total of 19 preservice deaf teachers

participated in the study. We used a pre-post design to measure the learning and attitude changes

of the teachers. The results of the analysis of pretests and posttests of cognitive outcomes

indicated that significant learning occurred as a result of the computer-based instruction. Also,

the majority of the students reacted positively to the quality of the lessons. The results also

suggest that applying an appropriate theoretical framework to the design of instruction offers an

avenue for meaningfully addressing the appropriate use of technology. (Mertens, D. M., &

Rabiu, J. (1992). Combining Cognitive Learning Theory and Computer Assisted Instruction for

Deaf Learners. American Annals of the Deaf, 137(5), 399–403.

http://www.jstor.org/stable/44400994).

2.3 Android Studio

application development. It is based on the IntelliJ IDEA, a Java integrated development

environment for software, and incorporates its code editing and developer tools.

Android Studio functions in a well-organized format that can be used as a handy

reference. It will quickly demonstrate the usage of the Android Studio IDE to build an Android

mobile app step by step. You won’t find any technical jargon, bloated samples, drawn out history

lessons, or witty stories in this book. What you will find is a reference that is concise, to the point

and highly accessible. (Hagos, Ted. (2019). Android Studio IDE Quick Reference: A Pocket Guide to

Android Studio Development. 10.1007/978-1-4842-4953-6).

2.3 Text to Speech

The application can interpret whether the addressee wants to use the text to speech

function or the speech to text function of the application. The addressee can choose between the

two features. And it can be used one after another. Every sentence completed by the hearing-

impaired person it will be recorded on the conversations windows that will serve as guide of

what are they talking about. Conversations can be saved and can be viewed for future references.
 Figure 2.3. Speeches to Text & Text to Speech

2.4 America Sign Language Translator Application

Firstly, the hand gestures of the signer are always placed in the middle of the image

frame in order for the whole hand to fit in. Application of appropriate scale-invariant techniques

eliminates the need to normalize the size of hand gesture. The system framework has been

successfully implemented on smartphone platforms, and experimental results show that it is able

to recognize and translate 16 different American Sign Language gestures with an overall

accuracy of 97.13% (Pansare J.R, 2015). The app works in 2 parts: text to sign and a dictionary

(of sorts). If the user is trying to turn an English sentence into an ASL sentence, the app can

translate up to 50 words at once. The user types in what he wants to say, and ASL Translator
provides a series of videos and pictures of the correct signs. However, the app states that it

“generates sentences in ‘English word order’” and “improves the translation [of ‘signed exact

English’] with our Smart Translation Algorithm.” More than 30,000 words and 1,400 idioms are

programmed into the app.

Figure: 2.4 showing the demonstration of America Sign Language Translator Application.

2.5 America Sign Language Translator Application

America Sign Language Translator Application Firstly, the hand gestures of the signer are always

placed in the middle of the image frame in order for the whole hand to fit in. Application of appropriate

scale-invariant techniques eliminates the need to normalize the size of hand gesture. The system

framework has been successfully implemented on smartphone platforms, and experimental results show

that it is able to recognize and translate 16 different American Sign Language gestures with an overall

accuracy of 97.13% (Pansare J.R, 2015). The app works in 2 parts: text to sign and a dictionary (of sorts).

If the user is trying to turn an English sentence into an ASL sentence, the app can translate up to 50 words
at once. The user types in what he wants to say, and ASL Translator provides a series of videos and

pictures of the correct signs. However, the app states that it “generates sentences in ‘English word order’”

and “improves the translation [of ‘signed exact English’] with our Smart Translation Algorithm.” More

than 30,000 words and 1,400 idioms are programmed into the app.

Figure 2.5 showing the demonstration of America Sign Language Translator

Application

2.5 Learning Assessment using mobile application

Students who participated in the development and application process of an Android

application named NEU-CEIT about the mobile learning environment, educational and sharing

structure of the developed application. A total of 27 students participated and students were

asked to upload the developed application and examine the content. Following the application,

students were administered an environment evaluation questionnaire. The results also showed

that mobile applications will support education and increase motivation. This study supports that
mobile applications improve academic achievement. (Kocakoyun, Şenay & Bicen, Huseyin.

(2017). Development and evaluation of educational android application. Cypriot Journal of

Educational Sciences. 12. 58. 10.18844/cjes.v12i2.1938.).

Study of Mobile app support learning system to compare the effects of two different

learning approaches based on students’ health-related physical fitness (HRPF) achievements,

self-efficacy, and system usability. The experimental results showed that a mobile APP support

learning approach could improve the students’ HRPF achievements. Furthermore, this study

found that self-efficacy and system operations affect the students’ HRPF achievements. (Cheng

& chen. (2018). Developing a mobile APP-Supported learning System for evaluating Health-

related physical fitness Achievements of Students.).

Chapter III