Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Rapid Fund/Wiki Hour Initiative/Wiki4inclusions 3.0 (ID: 22283745)/Final Report
Application type: Standard application
Part 1: Project and impact
1. Describe the implemented activities and results achieved. Additionally, share which approaches were most effective in supporting you to achieve the results. (required)
The Wiki Hour Initiative/Wiki4Inclusions 3.0 project aimed to enhance the accessibility of Wikipedia, Wikidata, and Wikimedia Commons content for the hearing-impaired community by creating and integrating sign language videos. This initiative was driven by the need to bridge the gap in information accessibility and foster inclusivity. By translating Wikipedia articles into sign language and engaging the community in the content creation process, the project sought to improve both the reach and quality of information available to deaf and hearing-impaired individuals.
The following sections outline the key activities implemented, the results achieved, and the approaches that proved most effective in supporting the project’s objectives.
During the implementation of the Wiki Hour Initiative/Wiki4Inclusions 3.0 project, we successfully conducted a series of activities aimed at enhancing the accessibility and inclusivity of Wikipedia for the hearing-impaired community in Ghana, in collaboration with House of Grace School and the University of Education, Winneba. Key activities included:
Conversion of Wikipedia Articles into Sign Language Videos: We collaborated with sign language experts and volunteers from the hearing-impaired community to translate selected Wikipedia articles into sign language videos. This effort significantly enhanced accessibility for individuals who rely on sign language as their primary means of communication. Training and Edit-a-Thons: We organized training sessions and edit-a-thons to equip participants with the skills needed to contribute to Wikipedia, Wikidata, and Wikimedia Commons and also digital skills, photography. Despite challenges with school timetables, these sessions effectively fostered a deeper understanding of the open knowledge movement. At House of Grace School, students exhibited enthusiasm and a positive attitude toward contributing to Wikipedia. This enthusiasm was noted as a critical factor in prioritizing these students for future training sessions. The school calendar affected the training sessions as the team had to wait for students to convene in the school during the reopening sessions. At the University of Education, Winneba, the school’s timetable posed challenges, leading to some reluctance among students. This highlighted the need for better alignment with educational schedules in future implementations. Review and Feedback on Sign Language Videos: The project included a detailed review of the sign language videos developed for Wikipedia articles. Feedback from both trainers and students highlighted several areas for improvement: The need for more precise sign language, avoiding visual contour distractions. The importance of outfit type and colour, and ensuring the translator maintains a calm and approachable facial expression. Provide a video guideline for creating Wikipedia articles Translating Wiki articles of deserve its own guidelines to provide
2. Documentation of your impact. Please use space below to share links that help tell your story, impact, and evaluation. (required)
Share links to:
- Project page on Meta-Wiki or any other Wikimedia project
- Dashboards and tools that you used to track contributions
- Some photos or videos from your event. Remember to share access.
You can also share links to:
- Important social media posts
- Surveys and their results
- Infographics and sound files
- Examples of content edited on Wikimedia projects
To effectively document the impact of the Wiki Hour Initiative/Wiki4inclusions 3.0 project, we have compiled a range of resources and materials that illustrate the outcomes and successes of our activities: Project Page on Meta-Wiki: [Link to Project Page] Dashboard for Tracking Contributions: Dashboard https://outreachdashboard.wmflabs.org/courses/Wiki_Hour_Initiative/Wiki4Inclusion_Campaign_3.0_-_Hearing_Impaired_Training_and_Edit_A_Thon_(2023-2024) Photos and Videos: We have documented our events with photos and videos, which are available on Wikimedia Commons. These visual materials help to tell the story of our impact and showcase the engagement of participants. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e4/Alphabets_in_the_Ghanaian_Sign_Language.webm
Additionally, share the materials and resources that you used in the implementation of your project. (required)
For example:
- Training materials and guides
- Presentations and slides
- Work processes and plans
- Any other materials your team has created or adapted and can be shared with others
Presentations and slides:
Sign Language and Wikipedia Wiki Hour Introduction to Wikipedia - Google Slides Copy of Introduction to Wikimedia Commons - Google Slides Introduction to Wikidata.pptx - Google Slides Any other materials your team has created or adapted and can be shared with others: Articles & Event Plan-Wiki 4 Inclusion 3.0 - Google Docs
3. To what extent do you agree with the following statements regarding the work carried out with this Rapid Fund? You can choose “not applicable” if your work does not relate to these goals. Required. Select one option per question. (required)
| A. Bring in participants from underrepresented groups | Strongly agree |
| B. Create a more inclusive and connected culture in our community | Strongly agree |
| C. Develop content about underrepresented topics/groups | Agree |
| D. Develop content from underrepresented perspectives | Agree |
| E. Encourage the retention of editors | Strongly agree |
| F. Encourage the retention of organizers | Strongly agree |
| G. Increased participants' feelings of belonging and connection to the movement | Strongly agree |
| F. Other (optional) |
Part 2: Learning
4. In your application, you outlined some learning questions. What did you learn from these learning questions when you implemented your project? How do you hope to use this learnings in the future? You can recall these learning questions below. (required)
You can recall these learning questions below: Effectiveness of Accessibility: Does the availability of sign language videos significantly enhance the accessibility of Wikipedia content for the hearing-impaired community? Engagement and Satisfaction: How engaged are participants, and to what extent are they satisfied with the quality and relevance of the sign language videos? Impact on Knowledge Acquisition: To what degree does the project positively impact the knowledge acquisition and skills development of participants? Community Building: Does the project contribute to building a sense of community and peer support among the hearing-impaired participants? Sustainability: What strategies are most effective in ensuring the long-term sustainability of the project, both in terms of content production and community engagement? Representation and Inclusivity: To what extent does the project address the content gap and knowledge inequity for underrepresented groups within the hearing-impaired community? Awareness and Advocacy: Does the project contribute to increased awareness and advocacy for the rights and needs of the hearing-impaired community among the general population?
Throughout the implementation of Wiki4inclusions 3.0, we sought to address several key learning questions:
Effectiveness of Accessibility: The availability of sign language videos significantly improved accessibility for the hearing-impaired community. Participants reported that the videos made Wikipedia content more understandable and engaging. Engagement and Satisfaction: Participants were highly engaged, particularly at the House of Grace School, where the enthusiasm for contributing to Wikipedia was palpable. The quality and relevance of the sign language videos were well-received, with participants expressing satisfaction with the content. Students were engaged to create content on their hometown and subjects of interests; hobbies, games, creative, etc. Impact on Knowledge Acquisition: The project positively impacted knowledge acquisition among participants, particularly in the area of digital literacy and content creation. Participants gained valuable skills in video editing, content creation, and Wikipedia editing. Community Building: The project fostered a sense of community among the hearing-impaired participants, who connected over shared interests and contributed to the open knowledge movement. This sense of belonging was particularly evident in the feedback from participants who expressed a desire for continued involvement. Sustainability: One of the key lessons learned was the need for sustained engagement to ensure the long-term impact of the project. We identified the importance of ongoing training and support, as well as the need to adapt the project timeline to better accommodate participants' educational schedules and if possible to have it running throughout the year. Representation and Inclusivity: The project effectively addressed content gaps by creating sign language videos on underrepresented topics. This not only increased the diversity of content available on Wikipedia but also ensured that the perspectives of the hearing-impaired community were included.
5. Did anything unexpected or surprising happen when implementing your activities? This can include both positive and negative situations. What did you learn from those experiences? (required)
During the course of the project, we encountered several unexpected outcomes, which were positive and negative:
Variations in Sign Language Proficiency: The varying levels of sign language proficiency among participants led to differences in the pace of video production. We learned that future projects should incorporate more tailored training sessions to accommodate these differences. Challenges with School Schedules: At the University of Education, Winneba, we faced challenges with aligning our activities with the students' schedules. This highlighted the need for greater flexibility and coordination when planning future training sessions. Graduation of Old Students: The graduation of most of the experienced students necessitated recruiting and training new students, leading to a slower learning curve and extended onboarding periods. Quality of Equipment: Challenges with equipment quality were observed on the student side, impacting the production and editing processes. Technical Issues: There were difficulties with the dashboard and other wikis being down, which hindered tracking and accessing project metrics. Positive Feedback from Participants: Despite some challenges, participants were enthusiastic about the project and expressed a strong interest in continued involvement. This feedback reinforced the importance of sustained engagement and the potential for scaling the project to reach a wider audience. Accident Involving Sign Language Interpreter: The only sign language interpreter was involved in an accident, disrupting communication and continuity. This highlighted the need for contingency planning and additional resources. New Students’ Learning Needs: The new students' learning process was slower due to their inexperience. This required additional time and support to bring them up to speed, affecting the overall pace of the project. Overall Impact:
Despite these challenges, the project made significant progress in enhancing accessibility, fostering inclusivity, and empowering the hearing-impaired community. The feedback-driven improvements and the engagement of participants highlighted the project's success in bridging gaps and promoting a more inclusive information environment.
Moving forward, we will incorporate these learnings into our project management approach, emphasizing adaptability, continuous skill development, and feedback-driven improvement to overcome challenges and drive positive outcomes. Additionally, we will explore opportunities for collaboration and interdisciplinary integration to enhance the impact and sustainability of our activities.
6. What is your plan to share your project learnings and results with other community members? If you have already done it, describe how. (required)
We plan to share the learnings and results of the Wiki4inclusions 3.0 project with the broader community through several channels:
Presentations at Wikimedia Conferences: We will present our findings and experiences at upcoming Wikimedia conferences, where we can engage with other community members and share best practices as we have other groups making enquiries and wanting to replicate in the home country. Workshops and Webinars: We will organize workshops and webinars to share our training materials, resources, and lessons learned with other communities interested in replicating the project. Publication of a Final Report: A comprehensive final report will be published on Meta-Wiki, detailing the project's outcomes, challenges, and recommendations for future initiatives. Social Media and Blogs: We will continue to use social media and blog posts to disseminate our learnings and engage with a broader audience
Part 3: Metrics
7. Wikimedia Metrics results. (required)
In your application, you set some Wikimedia targets in numbers (Wikimedia metrics). In this section, you will describe the achieved results and provide links to the tools used.
| Target | Results | Comments and tools used | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of participants | 30 | 50 | flyers and whatsapp groups |
| Number of editors | 50 | 25 | dashboard |
| Number of organizers | 8 | 8 |
| Wikimedia project | Target | Result - Number of created pages | Result - Number of improved pages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia | 300 | 14 | 523 |
| Wikimedia Commons | 200 | 47 | 0 |
| Wikidata | 300 | 174 | 239 |
| Wiktionary | |||
| Wikisource | |||
| Wikimedia Incubator | |||
| Translatewiki | |||
| MediaWiki | |||
| Wikiquote | |||
| Wikivoyage | |||
| Wikibooks | |||
| Wikiversity | |||
| Wikinews | |||
| Wikispecies | |||
| Wikifunctions or Abstract Wikipedia |
8. Other Metrics results.
In your proposal, you could also set Other Metrics targets. Please describe the achieved results and provide links to the tools used if you set Other Metrics in your application.
| Other Metrics name | Metrics Description | Target | Result | Tools and comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
9. Did you have any difficulties collecting data to measure your results? (required)
No
9.1. Please state what difficulties you had. How do you hope to overcome these challenges in the future? Do you have any recommendations for the Foundation to support you in addressing these challenges? (required)
Part 4: Financial reporting
[edit]10. Please state the total amount spent in your local currency. (required)
46458
11. Please state the total amount spent in US dollars. (required)
4046
12. Report the funds spent in the currency of your fund. (required)
Provide the link to the financial report https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13JNRuz8c407vksRGP_QQCyfXHX2ODotorH0sducU9XU/edit?gid=0#gid=0
12.2. If you have not already done so in your financial spending report, please provide information on changes in the budget in relation to your original proposal. (optional)
13. Do you have any unspent funds from the Fund?
No
13.1. Please list the amount and currency you did not use and explain why.
N/A
13.2. What are you planning to do with the underspent funds?
N/A
13.3. Please provide details of hope to spend these funds.
N/A
14.1. Are you in compliance with the terms outlined in the fund agreement?
Yes
14.2. Are you in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations as outlined in the grant agreement?
Yes
14.3. Are you in compliance with provisions of the United States Internal Revenue Code (“Code”), and with relevant tax laws and regulations restricting the use of the Funds as outlined in the grant agreement? In summary, this is to confirm that the funds were used in alignment with the WMF mission and for charitable/nonprofit/educational purposes.
Yes
15. If you have additional recommendations or reflections that don’t fit into the above sections, please write them here. (optional)
1. Unexpected Curriculum Changes:
- The government's changes to the school curriculum led to the rescheduling of many planned events. This caused disruptions and required adjustments to the project timeline. In future, it may be helpful to anticipate such changes and build flexibility into the project schedule.
2. Low Engagement of Online Participants:
- Some online participants did not join the dashboard as expected, which limited their engagement and the overall impact of the project. Addressing this in future projects might involve better communication and support for online participants to ensure they are fully integrated into project activities.
3. Interruptions Due to Special Needs:
- The special needs of participants meant that some school activities interrupted their participation in assignments and contests. Future projects could benefit from tailored schedules that accommodate the unique needs of participants, minimizing interruptions and ensuring more consistent engagement.
4. Transcribing Videos for Text Readers:
- A new initiative to transcribe videos into text for readers was introduced during the project. This initiative will be implemented in the next project phase, expanding the accessibility of content to a broader audience, including those who rely on text.
5. Interest in Other Wiki Projects:
- Participants showed a greater interest in other wiki projects, such as Wikidata, than initially anticipated. This insight suggests that future projects could explore integrating
Review notes
[edit]Review notes from Program Officer:
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Applicant's response to the review feedback.
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