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Current
progress
Introduction
UKERNA was commissioned
by Education and Learning Wales (ELWa)
to run a leading edge pilot project to explore the possibility of
providing simultaneous translation facilities
between the Welsh Video Network
videoconferencing studios. The three month long pilot project
was implemented by
the WVN Support Centre staff.
The Welsh Translation Pilot (WTP) project investigated and ultimately recommended a suitable means of
distributing translated audio to all
participants in all studios taking part in
a conference. For the purposes of the project, the translation
was from another language into
Welsh, or from Welsh into another language.
All Welsh FE and HE institutions were invited to complete
a WTP questionnaire. This allowed a summary of existing
translation facilities and usage across Wales to be obtained. A key element
for selection of institutions to take part in the WTP was whether the institution
had a need/use for these facilities as well as access
to the staff and translators required. The
Welsh Translation Pilot only supplied
the equipment to enable translation to be distributed, it did
not provide the translator.
Four institutions took part in the WTP, including representatives from both the FE and HE
sectors.
If you are
interested in learning more about the outcomes of the Welsh
Translation Pilot, please contact Ian Jones - iaj@aber.ac.uk
, tel 01970 622476.
Current
Progress
2 July 2002 - WTP studio equipment was
installed at the University of Wales, Bangor's Thoday studio for
initial testing under 'live' conditions.
11 June 2002 - An Open Day held at WVN
studios at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth and the
University of Wales Swansea was
attended by a number of visitors who made valuable comments on
the equipment supplied, the quality of the interaction, etc.
Visitors included potential users of the equipment as well as
professional translators.
9/10 June 2002 - Equipment for receiving a
remote translation, contributing a local translation, and
distributing the translation within the studio was installed at
the Hugh Owen Library studio at the University of Wales,
Aberystwyth.
27 May 2002 - The equipment was delivered,
initially configured and tested at the LIS studio at the
University of Wales, Swansea. The solution was based on IP
telephony and this involved the installation of a Cisco VoIP
'Call Manager'. Local sound within each studio is distributed by
radio headphones.
If you have any queries, please contact
Ian Jones, iaj@aber.ac.uk, who co-ordinated
the Welsh Translation Pilot Project.
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