Lessons from Helen Keller: How to Make the Comics Accessible?

Area of Science:

• Accessibility Studies
• Digital Humanities
• Communication Design

Background:

• Comics are significant cultural artifacts with diverse applications.
• Current comic formats present accessibility barriers for deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences.
• There is a need for inclusive design in cultural content dissemination.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate methods for improving comic accessibility for deaf and hard-of-hearing readers.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of a combined physical exhibition and digital platform approach.
• To provide a model for accessible cultural content delivery.

Main Methods:

• An experimental communication operation was conducted.
• A physical exhibition of comic panels was organized.
• A supplementary digital platform was developed and hosted on an institutional website.

Main Results:

• The digital platform provided accessible content mirroring the exhibition.
• Extra materials and information were included in the digital component.
• The experiment demonstrated a viable method for reaching a wider audience.

Conclusions:

• Digital mirroring is a foundational strategy for enhancing accessibility.
• Combined physical and digital approaches can broaden cultural engagement.
• Further development in accessible comic design is warranted.