Advancing its accessibility offerings, PBS Kids launches ASL integration on popular animated series, available free on its digital streaming platforms; shows include ‘Arthur,’ ‘Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood,’ and ‘Donkey Hodie.’
Beginning tomorrow, April 18, PBS Kids begins integrating American Sign Language (ASL) interpretations into multiple series, available free on PBS Kids digital streaming platforms. The move advances the network’s mission to serve all kids and families and builds on its already extensive accessibility offerings.
Working with series producers from GBH Kids, Fred Rogers Productions, along with Bridge Multimedia and The Described and Captioned Media Program, PBS KIDS is integrating ASL interpretations into six popular PBS KIDS series, with 10 episodes for each, including:
- Work It Out Wombats!
- Pinkalicious & Peterrific
- Arthur
- Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood
- Donkey Hodie
- Alma’s Way
PBS Kids' effort to reach kids across the country with accessible, high-quality content includes research-based considerations. The network’s audience includes young children who are learning to read yet are not yet independent readers, including younger Deaf and hard-of-hearing (HoH) kids. These children simply can’t access audio content via captions. PBS Kids cited research that finds younger children who are Deaf, typically learn and use sign language as their primary language. Those children need and benefit from seeing ASL translations.
Check out the clip from Alma’s Way to see the ASL-integrated programming in action:
PBS has been making accessible media since pioneering closed captioning more than 50 years ago. PBS KIDS has built on that legacy by making quality kids’ content available for free to all young viewers and their families.
PBS Kids’ Accessibility Features:
- Content features include closed captioning (English & Spanish), descriptive audio (English & Spanish), Spanish audio, and downloadable content that may not have access to reliable internet.
- PBS Kids’ games feature accessibility settings, including customizable options (screen display, sound options, audio controls, keyboard controls, text-to-speech elements, color contrast, etc.), HTML5 games that work across most devices, including older and low-powered devices; downloadable games, adaptive and personalized games, digital accessibility features, and applied universal design for learning (UDL) best practices.
- PBS Kids is also exploring the use of AI to support interactive digital episodes.
Source: PBS Kids
Debbie Diamond Sarto is news editor at Animation World Network.
