Posted on

iOpener Project

Project dates: During 2014

We aim to encourage communication between 16-25 year olds with learning/communication disabilities to explore their town, creating trails on mobile phones and tablets alongside same-age volunteers. The project has been extended, with help from the Cultural Partnership, Reading, to encourage others to take part – communication amongst us all.

[catlist name=projectiopener numberposts=600 thumbnail=yes thumbnail_size=100,100 excerpt=yes excerpt_size=55 thumbnail_class=alignleft orderby=date order=desc template=ahnobbleddefault]

Posted on

iOpener Project starts up

We are starting a new project in January 2014. Here’s the initial project brief.

AACT, through its iMuse programme, has experimented with introducing iPad and smartphone usage in some small museums and has been encouraged by the response from 16-18 year olds when they are involved in creating material themselves (videos, drawings, animations, photos, stories etc).

As a charity whose object is to benefit those with communication disabilities through the use of IT, AACT wants to build on this work outside of a museum context, initially by running a pilot project of six workshops in the centre of Reading [probably Highbridge House, with trips around the surrounding area to take photos/interview etc] during Spring/Summer 2014. These will be primarily for 16-25 year olds with communication and/or learning disabilities plus their carers where needed and with the aid of volunteers. Participants will be encouraged to collect material about the town and aided to put these online so that town trails can be created. There are two main aims for this pilot.

  • To give the young people, their carers and the volunteers a series of interesting experiences which will encourage communication between different groups of people and increase inclusion through furthering their engagement with their town
  • To help AACT find ways of running the workshops (especially technology) that are sustainable beyond the end of the pilot so that they and others may use the same methods again
Posted on

Happy New Year try our Snowball Splat text-free game!

You can try our Christmas themed game here Snowball Splat

Runs best on an iPad.

This is based on the Splat Medusa game devised by iMuse for the 2013 Ure Discovery project. This incorporated two dozen depictions of the head of Medusa created by 16 year olds from a special school.

These are simple, text-free games that can be enjoyed by all age groups and abilities. The idea came from http://creativejs.com/tutorials/create-an-ipad-optimised-game/

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2014!

Posted on

A mini-app for an artist’s exhibition

Project dates: April – June 2013

Working with artist Jenny Halstead, iMuse is hoping to demonstrate that a low-cost simple web-app can enhance the visitor’s experience, particularly those with sight, learning or reading difficulties.

[catlist name=projectjennyhalstead numberposts=-1 thumbnail=yes thumbnail_size=100,100 excerpt=yes excerpt_size=55 thumbnail_class=alignleft orderby=date order=desc template=ahnobbleddefault]

Posted on

Another artist’s text-free mini-app planned

iMuse is working with artist, Jenny Halstead, to produce a low-cost mini-app for an in-exhibition iPad.

Jenny recently spent a year as Artist in Residence in the Harris Garden at the University of Reading, painting and drawing as the seasons changed. Her exhibition in the Museum of English Rural Life, Reading, runs from 24 May to 30 June 2013.

Jenny has recorded her thoughts on each painting. Visitors will be able to see each painting both for real and on our iPad, where they can blow it up to look at detail down to the brushstroke, and tap to hear Jenny describing her reactions to each scene and her painting methods.

AACT’s special interest is in showing how such relatively simply implemented techniques can enhance an exhibition for everyone, particularly by communicating its meaning to those with sight impairment or who find reading text on labels difficult.

Though the iPad will be tethered on a cord for security, visitors will be able to pick it up to share what they find with companions, and it is hoped that this will further encourage communication between them.

Posted on

Launch date for Ure Discovery exhibition set!

The Ure Discovery Arts Council England Project, in which AACT/iMuse is a partner alongside 2 mainstream schools and one special school, will have its exhibition officially launched on 15th June.

All will be welcome to this family-centred event, with an Greek-pot activity in aid of AACT, talks by the animator, Steve Simons, and the pupils who created the exhibition. And of course, the iMuse iPad trail led by Sophie the Owl!

Posted on

General iMuse posts

[catlist name=generalimuse numberposts=-1 thumbnail=yes thumbnail_size=120,120 excerpt=yes excerpt_size=55 thumbnail_class=alignleft orderby=name order=desc template=ahnobbleddefault]