Hands On
New Zealand Sign language is one of our countries 3 official languages, yet for the estimated 400,000 people who identify as D/deaf or hard of hearing, communicating with others can be difficult.
As a communication designer, I wanted to help change this experience.
I created Hands On to break down the often intimidating cultural barriers and give players the opportunity to engage in a comfortable, playful environment, allowing confidence and skills to build.
Hands-On is a fun, playful, interactive table-top card game that aims to teach young adults common words and phrases of New Zealand Sign language from the comfort of their own homes. The game aims to act as an accessible first step to learning NZSL and engaging with the deaf communities of Aotearoa.
Year
22/10/2019
Awards & Nominations
Best awards 2020 Public Good (student) Finalist
Best Awards 2020 Public Good (student) Gold Pin Winner
Australian Good Design Awards (Next Generation) Winner
Project Name
Hands On
Learn to sign through play
Role
Design Researcher
Graphic designer
Illustrator
Manufacturer
“Games are particularly well-suited to supporting educational or activist programs in which the fostering of empathy is a key method or goal… they allow players to inhabit the roles and perspectives of other people or groups in a uniquely immersive way.”
Throughout my project this quote from Belman and Flanagan continued to inspire me and remind me of what I could create with the deaf community of Aotearoa.
