Our second seminar for ISCVEx 2026, taking place at Coombe Abbey Hotel on Wednesday 18 March 2026 is presented by Dr Brian Shannan from the University of Edinburgh and explores an alternative to Loop and Auracast systems for the AI era.

Integrating Deaf Voices in Educational Design: An Automated Alternative to Loop and Auracast Systems for the AI Era

The transition to post-Fordist society in the late 1970s and 1980s sparked a technological revolution that transformed education, shifting from traditional didactic methods toward interactive, student-focused learning driven by information and communication technologies. However, while schools and universities integrated new technologies into their building designs, deaf and hard of hearing learners and staff were left behind—excluded by continued reliance on assistive technologies from an earlier era that were incompatible with emerging interactive systems.

As we stand at the threshold of an AI revolution in education, we face a critical choice: repeat the mistakes of the past or ensure full participation for deaf and hard of hearing learners from the outset. This presentation examines practical work undertaken across schools, colleges, and universities to develop access models that embrace contemporary and future technologies. Central to this work is an automated assistive listening device that broadcasts existing audiovisual systems directly to rooms, offering a modern alternative to traditional loops or Auracast systems. This innovative approach integrates digital sound transmission to hearing aid users while being fully compatible with speech-to-text and AI technologies.

Drawing on collaborative work with Disabled Staff Groups, Dr. Shannan will demonstrate how incorporating deaf voices—representing the broad spectrum of the deaf community—has been essential in creating systems that provide genuine two-way communication, seamlessly integrate existing audiovisual infrastructure with digital sound broadcasting for hearing aid users, fully incorporate speech-to-text capabilities, and remain compatible with emerging AI technologies.

The presentation argues that true accessibility requires moving beyond retrofitting outdated assistive systems into modern buildings. Instead, educational institutions must embed deaf perspectives in the design phase, ensuring that acoustic environments, existing AV communication systems, and emerging AI tools work synergistically to create genuinely inclusive learning spaces for all deaf and hard of hearing learners and staff.

ISCVEx 2026 Seminars and the Exhibition are open to both non-members and members of ISCVE. Register today.

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ISCVEx 2026 – Register Here!