Silent Tweets

Posted 23 January 2012

An award-winning, free smartphone app, Silent Tweets, is available for people who are Deaf or have a hearing impairment.

 

The app is a public broadcasting tool. It allows users to send and receive posts of up to 140 characters about community announcements that might otherwise be communicated using audio or radio

This includes emergency messages, such as weather and traffic reports, bushfire alerts, power outages, gate or platform changes for airports or train stations and notifications issued at public events and venues like concert halls and sports stadiums.

Messages are organised so users only receive information where and when they need it, based on location and time settings.

Silent Tweets has been developed by Australian Communication Exchange, a not-for-profit Australian business that offers communication services for the Deaf community and people with a hearing or speech impairment.

The app won a Telstra Innovation Challenge Award in 2011.

Silent Tweets is available on Android and Apple iPhone smartphones.

The app was launched at the Australian Deaf Games in Geelong, Victoria, in January.

More information

The Australian Communication Exchange website provides information about Silent Tweets. You can watch an Auslan video about it, find out how to use it, and download the Silent Tweets app.

You can also contact Australian Communication Exchange for more information:

Phone: 07 3815 7600

TTY: 07 3815 7602

Fax: 07 3815 7601

Email: info@aceinfo.net.au