DeafNet Webcam

The Deaf Society of NSW started the DeafNet project in 2006 to provide services and some basic education in online technologies for the Deaf community in regional areas.

This was made possible by the vision of our Executive Director, Corporate, Ms Sharon Everson and a generous grant from the .auDA (.au Domain Administration Ltd).

Traditionally regional communities have been unable to access mainstream services due to geographic isolation and lack of funding and support in general for regional services.

The Deaf Society targeted key communities in regional NSW and developed partnerships with local organisations. Each organisation hosts a laptop computer and webcam in a public place where the Deaf community can access it.

The aims of the project were:

• to set up a network of these computers through regional NSW so that the Deaf community can access a community worker in Sydney via a webcam,
• to facilitate Deaf people participating more fully in the broader deaf community via technologies such as MSN Messenger, and
• to educate Deaf community members to use these technologies.

DeafNet tutorials
To provide education in using these technologies, we developed 14 self-paced tutorials which were given out with the DeafNet computers. These tutorials assumed the learner had no online experience and took them through their first use of web browsers, setting up Hotmail addresses and setting up and using MSN accounts. The tutorials were aimed at giving Deaf community members the skills to utilise the DeafNet system fully.

Workshops were also held in some regional towns to give an overview of the project and some basic online skills.

To see a list of DeafNet tutorials, click here.
To order a copy of the DeafNet tutorials, click here.

DeafNet locations
DeafNet is available in the following areas: (click on the region to see where and when)

• Hunter / Central Coast
• Coffs Coast
• New England
• South Coast
• Riverina

DeafNet will be available in the Central West soon.