K12> [WWWEDU] Join PBS KIDS' ARTHUR on a Communication Adventure at pbskids.org/arthur
- From: Gleason Sackmann <gleason@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: NetHappenings <nethappenings@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 6 May 2003 09:08:40 -0500
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Net Happenings - From Educational CyberPlayGround
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From: "Mary Watkins" ?Mary_Watkins@xxxxxxxx?
To: ?wwwedu@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx???
Sent: 06 May 2003 09:18:36 -0400
Subject: [WWWEDU] Join PBS KIDS' ARTHUR on a Communication Adventure at
pbskids.org/arthur
Join PBS KIDS' ARTHUR? on a Communication Adventure at pbskids.org/arthur
Much of the attention in the media surrounding kids with disabilities
focuses on the kids
themselves and the challenges they face with the world around them. But
what about the
kids that don't have disabilities? How can children better understand
others who may seem different at first, but really are more like them than
they realize?
The ARTHUR Web team at WGBH is creating a series of new interactive games
that help kids explore this issue. In the first game "About Face"? live
now on the ARTHUR Web site at http://pbskids.org/arthur/games/aboutface ?
Arthur tells a story, and kids help Pal choose the facial expression that
best describes how certain ARTHUR characters would feel in given
situations. The game is designed to enforce the idea that facial
expressions communicate information. The concept is especially important
when communicating with people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
"About Face" is one of four new features that will be added to the ARTHUR
Web site over the spring and summer as part of ARTHUR's season-long focus
on communication differences. The Season 7 episode "Prunella Sees the
Light," which encores on PBS May 21 (check local listings), and its
companion educational outreach initiative, encourage hearing and sighted
children to become more aware of how their peers who are deaf, hard of
hearing, blind, or visually impaired learn, play, and enjoy many of the
same things that they do.
"The season focus on communication differences is an extension of some of
the original goals of the series," says WGBH executive producer Carol
Greenwald. "Since its 1996 premiere, it has been a priority that ARTHUR be
accessible to all children. In addition, we have always strived to help
children have positive attitudes and to accept and include others, in
spite of their differences. The new Web features are a fun way to help
kids do this."
Look for these features at http://pbskids.org/arthur over the spring and
summer.
? About Face: LIVE NOW!
http://pbskids.org/arthur/games/aboutface
? You've Got Braille: Launching May 2003.
Kids can create coded braille messages to keep or pass on to friends.
? Fern, The Effective Detective: Launching June 2003.
In this feature, kids will hone their observation skills and learn the
benefits of using descriptive language, both of which are important,
especially when communicating with someone who is blind or visually
impaired.
? Sign Design: Launching July 2003.
This feature will give kids the tools to learn some basic finger spelling
and signing skills through demonstration and application.
Currently in its seventh season, ARTHUR remains one of the most watched
children's television programs among two- to five- and two- to
eleven-year-olds, with more than 11.5 million weekly viewers (Source:
Nielsen Television Index September 2002 through January 2003). ARTHUR has
won numerous awards, including the George Foster Peabody Award and four
Daytime Emmys?three in the Outstanding Children's Animated Program
category. The series has recently been nominated for two more Daytime Emmy
Awards, including another for Outstanding Children's Animated Program.
Based on the best-selling books by Marc Brown, ARTHUR is produced for PBS
by WGBH Boston and CINAR Corporation. The award-winning ARTHUR Web site is
http://pbskids.org/arthur. Funding for ARTHUR is provided by a
Ready-To-Learn Television Cooperative Agreement from the U.S. Department
of Education through the Public Broadcasting Service, the Corporation for
Public Broadcasting, and public television viewers. Corporate funding is
provided by Libby's? Juicy Juice?, Post? Alpha-Bits? Cereal, and Chuck E.
Cheese's?.
ARTHUR is committed to making quality television accessible to all
children. Since its premiere in 1996, the series has been closed captioned
for viewers who are deaf or hard of hearing. Thanks to a grant by the
Department of Education, ARTHUR is now the only program on television to
have both standard and edited captions (for young children with hearing
loss who are not yet fluent readers). ARTHUR also made history in 1997
when the series became the first daily program described for viewers who
are blind or visually impaired. Every ARTHUR episode is closed captioned
and described by the Media Access Group at WGBH. Funding for closed
captioning of ARTHUR is provided by WGBH and by the U.S. Department of
Education. Description funding is provided by WGBH.
WGBH Boston is America's preeminent public broadcasting producer, the
source of nearly one-third of PBS's prime-time lineup as well as the
award-winning children's series ARTHUR, BETWEEN THE LIONS?, and ZOOM?.
Under the leadership of vice president Brigid Sullivan, the WGBH
children's lineup leads the field in educational multimedia (including the
Web, broadband, and interactive television) and in technologies and
services that make media accessible for people with disabilities. WGBH has
been recognized with hundreds of honors: Emmys, Peabodys, duPont-Columbia
Awards . . . even two Oscars. In 2002,WGBH was honored with a special
institutional Peabody Award for fifty years of excellence. For more
information visit http://wgbh.org.
CINAR Corporation is an integrated entertainment and education company
involved in the development, production, postproduction, and worldwide
distribution of nonviolent, quality programming and educational products
for children and families. CINAR?s Web site is http://www.cinar.com.
####
May 2003
Press contacts
Elizabeth Cot?
WGBH Boston
(617) 300-5336
elizabeth_cote@xxxxxxxx
Lesley Taylor
CINAR Corporation
(514) 843-7070
ltaylor@xxxxxxxxx
Photography contact
Amee McNaughton
WGBH Boston
(617) 300-5339
amee_mcnaughton@xxxxxxxx
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