The Thalassophile Project: Accessible marine science and conservation for visually and hearing impaired citizens

Concretely, the Thalassophile Project activities were designed to: • Make marine science and ocean literacy more accessible, especially to d/Deaf, blind and partially sighted. • Increase awareness...

Concretely, the Thalassophile Project activities were designed to: • Make marine science and ocean literacy more accessible, especially to d/Deaf, blind and partially sighted. • Increase awareness within adult education institutions that large groups of citizens are unable to gain access to information related to the Ocean. Similarly, to increase awareness within marine research that there are groups of adult learners physically unable to access the research and resources they provide. • Create a ‘door’ into the scientific concepts behind marine conservation, one which was accessible to all European citizens, including those who are d/Deaf and/or visually impaired. • Network our target groups of cross-sector practitioners in marine research and adult education and create a basis for mutual understanding to facilitate practical implementation of multisensorial marine science and conservation adult education. • Create original, engaging and high quality information and curate existing accessible educational material to increase and strengthen the target groups awareness of the importance of marine ecosystems.

1) The Thalassophile Project Common Accessibility Framework: The aim of this first activity was first to provide the two project partners with guidelines on universally accessible marine education. 2) Resource Hub*: Search function used 439 times. (The name for the ‘Online Hub/ Database’ in the original application was changed following discussion and now referred to as the ‘Resource Hub’. Practitioners said they specifically google for ‘resources’.) The resources hub allows practitioners to share material they have developed, and each uploaded link/ item is reviewed to ensure that 3) Five pilot original Thalassophile Project episodes, watched by 30 people on average, viewed 518 times on the website. 4) Five factsheets for adult educators to consolidate the learning (each corresponding to an above episode); Viewed 260 times in total. 5) Built and maintained a website, which received nearly 3000 views over the project period. Undertook extensive dissemination activities, including a book chapter on the project in a Springer Nature SDG publication. 6) Thalassophile Project Events: Hybrid event at the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Science January 2024 and a well-attended online event in July 2024.

Common Accessibility Framework: An 18 page theoretical and practical framework for universal accessibility in marine education, based on international Available in German, English and Italian, the Framework has been downloaded from the TP website 616 times. Network of Thalassophile Project champions: Having promoted the project results widely, we now have a wide and proactive network in marine science and conservation, discussing and actively using results. Resource Hub: Supporting educational initiatives for d/Deaf and visually impaired and of adult education institutions within the network, the online, searchable hub of vetted material provides inspiring practice for climate change action. Viewed 439 times. Five pilot original Thalassophile Project episodes and corresponding versions interpreted in International Sign. Each has been watched by 30 people on average on YouTube. Viewed 518 times on the website. Five factsheets for adult educators to consolidate the learning: Viewed 260 times. Website: First 12 months: over 600 visits with almost 2000 page views and 480 unique visitors. Second 12 months: 2300 visits, 6200 page views and 1600 unique visitors. Extensive in person and online presentation of TP. 2 journal articles.