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Tim Scannell, Accessibility Consultant:
Enhancing Access for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing by Focusing on Sign Language, Digital Accessibility, and Information Access for Everyone.
Funding or commissioning sign-language AI? A clarity check first.
Sign-language AI is often discussed as a single capability, but in practice, it encompasses very different types of tools , each with distinct levels of maturity, risk, and impact. Before funding or adopting any solution, it’s important to be clear about: What type of system is actually being proposed whether it supports one-way translation (e.g. text or speech → signed output) or claims bi-directional translation (signed input ↔ text or speech) What remains human-led ver
Tim Scannell
Jan 91 min read
🧭 Before You Invest: The Ethical AI-BSL Checklist
AI has the potential to enhance accessibility, but without rigorous ethical oversight and Deaf leadership , it risks deepening linguistic inequality—the new Digital Milan . For any hearing or non-signing organisation planning to buy, fund, or promote an "AI Sign Language" product, due diligence is mandatory. Before you fund, buy, or promote an "AI Sign Language" tool, you must ask these 7 Questions. AI innovation without ethical governance leads to Language Injustice . We nee
Tim Scannell
Nov 8, 20252 min read
🧠 Final Reflection on AI, BSL, & Language Justice: We Must Not Repeat History.
Hearing-led control over Deaf Language and knowledge. Languages never colonised again. Over the past year, my research has explored how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming access to British Sign Language (BSL) . What I found confirms a critical truth: BSL is a living language , not just data, and its interface with AI is fundamentally about language power and equality. Too often, AI projects risk repeating historical mistakes—a pattern I call Digital Milan: Innovat
Tim Scannell
Nov 8, 20251 min read
“AI British Sign Language” Webinar: No BSL Interpreter Despite Months of Planning – Accessibility Matters
Today, I attended a webinar titled “AI British Sign Language.” Given the webinar’s name, I expected full accessibility for Deaf BSL users, including a human BSL interpreter . Unfortunately, this was not provided. Lack of BSL Interpretation During the webinar, I raised the issue in the live chat: "Your webinar is called ‘AI British Sign Language,’ yet you are not providing a BSL interpreter. This is unacceptable and a clear breach of the BSL Act 2022. I demand immediate actio
Tim Scannell
Sep 19, 20251 min read
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