Introduction

The Language Technology Program funds projects that are focused on producing unique and innovative digital tools for language documentation, teaching, learning, and revitalization. This article presents a list of tools and products that have been developed by past recipients of this funding, as well as links to open source tools and code that can be adapted to meet the goals of a variety of language revitalization projects.

FirstVoices Development proposals must review these lists and either a) demonstrate how their proposed project is unique, or b) identify which code they will adapt to their needs.

Past FirstVoices Development Projects

Hul’q’umi’num’ Language and Culture Society

Project Description: With the help of grant funding and support from the FPCC LTP and Development grants, the HLCS tech team created more than 100 language games, which led to creating new language materials with the help of Elders and reviving existing language lesson materials. The technologies that were utilized range from ones that newcomers to making digital language games can use, (e.g. Flippity with Google Sheets) ones that work for people who are more experienced with digital interfaces (e.g. H5P), or those that are interested in making immersive games using state-of-the-art technologies (e.g. Unity). These are now integrated into the language-learning site, ta’ulthun sqwal, and the site geared towards young learners, ’iyus mumun’lh.

The team has also utilized Airtable to for the backend for the dictionary and other new language tools. This has allowed for a similar community-collaborative workflow that is used for the current dictionary site, an upcoming detailed/lightweight 'research' dictionary site for the purposes of quick word lookup for language learners, as well as some of the newly-developed language tools at https://hulqapps.ca/

Want to learn more?

For more information on this project, get in touch with the community team through its Github: Hul'q'umi'num' Language and Culture Society

Nawalakw Healing Society

Project Description: Through the Development pilot grant, the team worked and trained with the Simbi Foundation to draft, create content, and code immersive storybooks in the Kwak̓wala language. Over 25 new read-along & narrated children’s stories were created and made accessible online with transcriptions, translations, and images supplied by team and community members. These stories will continue to be cross-promoted and integrated with the existing FirstVoices site’s content & own story inventory: Kwak̓wala

Storybooks can be read at this link to the digital library: The story library is currently being moved to a new server. Please check back in spring 2024.

Want to learn more?

For more information on this project, connect with HOME - Nawalakw or email admin[@]nawalakw.com.

Tŝilhqot’in National Government

Project Description: Through the Development pilot grant, the team created a user-friendly web interface using React and TypeScript for the Tŝilhqot’in Digital Phrasebook. The interface features an easy-to-follow index-to-detail flow for quick access to terms and vocabulary lists. Additionally, the group started a Tŝilhqot’in Alphabet mobile app project with React Native, setting up routes and ensuring smooth functionality through Android Studio and Detox testing. The aim is to use code-sharing between our React web and React Native projects to make the Tŝilhqot’in language and culture more accessible to users.

Open

Phrase Book Vocabulary List Index (Image provided by Tŝilhqot’in National Government)

Open

Terms Index (Image provided by Tŝilhqot’in National Government)

Want to learn more?

For more information on this project before its completion, please email jbambrick[@]tsilhqotin.ca to get in touch with the community team or visit its Github: GitHub - COSCRAD

Language Technology Program 2023-2024 Cycle: In Progress

The following projects are still in progress. Check back for updates and how to contact these teams to learn more about these initiatives:

Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw Nations

Project Description: The LTP-2324 Development component for this project includes the initial research and prototyping of an accessible community-archive built on CollectiveAccess with the support of Whirl-i-Gig. This content management system (CMS) will be integrated with the soon to be launched FirstVoices site and also use existing language datasets as content on the platform. The backend for this product aims to be ready in summer 2024 and is open source.

Want to learn more?

For more information on this project, please email ltp@fpcc.ca to get in touch with the community team.

Heiltsuk Tribal Council (Haíɫzaqvḷa Revitalization)

Project Description: The LTP-2324 Development component for this project includes the initial research and professional training to create self-hosted language learning pages and guides on Haíɫzaqv maintained webspaces. These tools will include PDF guides and the integration of existing data hosted on the community Haíłzaqvḷa site onto these web platforms to assist in self-study for learners. The nature and content of the language to be hosted online are still under discussion in community.

Want to learn more?

For more information on this project, please email ltp@fpcc.ca to get in touch with the community team.

Hul’q’umi’num’ Language and Culture Society

Project Description: The HLCS tech team is continuing to create more language games and new language materials with the help of Elders. The technologies that are utilized range from ones that newcomers to making digital language games can use, (e.g. Flippity with Google Sheets) ones that work for people who are more experienced with digital interfaces (e.g. H5P), or those that are interested in making immersive games using state-of-the-art technologies (e.g. Unity). These are now being integrated into the language-learning site, ta’ulthun sqwal, and the site geared towards young learners, ’iyus mumun’lh.

The team has also utilized Airtable to for the backend for the dictionary and other new language tools. This has allowed for a similar community-collaborative workflow that is used for the current dictionary site, an upcoming detailed/lightweight 'research' dictionary site for the purposes of quick word lookup for language learners, as well as some of the newly-developed language tools at https://hulqapps.ca/

Want to learn more?

For more information on this ongoing project, get in touch with the community team through its Github: Hul'q'umi'num' Language and Culture Society

Nawalakw Healing Society

Project Description: The LTP-2324 Development component of this project is set to continue to mobilize transcriptions, images, and language content in the expanding Kwak̓wala library. The story library is also undergoing a migration to a new server for continued access for learners. These stories will continue to be cross-promoted and integrated with the existing FirstVoices site’s content & own story inventory: Kwak̓wala

Want to learn more?

For more information on this project, connect with HOME - Nawalakw or email admin[@]nawalakw.com.

Stó:lō Service Agency (Stó:lō Shxwelí)

Project Description: The LTP-2324 Development component for this project uses data exports from the administered Halq'eméylem site to populate and enhance its own website's cache of online learning resources. The team hopes to explore how a future API (both for reading and writing data) could be integrated with the organization's own database/website and FirstVoices site.

The end goal is to produce a self-paced online Halq'eméylem course to allow learners to study and practice the sounds of Halq'eméylem with the support of previously created ultrasound recordings. The team will look to develop its own self-hosted learning management system (LMS) that synchronises data across self-managed platforms.

Want to learn more?

For more information on this project before its completion, please email info[@]stoloshweli.org to get in touch with the community team.

Stz’uminus Education Society

Project Description: The LTP-2324 Development component of this project aims to invest in the Nation’s digital storage infrastructure, including its language website. The installation and integration of a community-hosted server will also facilitate the creation of a language resource space. This site will be administered in-house and host a variety of games and language data. This development will highlight and link to existing and new FirstVoices content for users to follow and interact with audio-visual entries across the platforms (i.e., Stz’uminus).

This project begins the initial stages of planning, design, and building this interface for community members to visit.

Want to learn more?

For more information about this project before its completion, please email ltp@fpcc.ca to get in touch with the community team.

Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations

The FirstVoices Development component aims to develop a codebase to support language learners’ differentiation between similar sounds and spellings in the Tla-o-qui-aht dialect of Nuu-chah-nulth (e.g., [k] vs. [q], [ƛ] vs. [ł], [h] vs [ḥ], [aa] vs [a] etc.) The team has been able to create a proof of concept game for learners to quiz themselves on these distinctions.

Using Python and Visual Studio Code, the team has developed code that pulls from a dataset and recognizes the difference between these similar characters and intends to integrate more data from their FirstVoices site to build a robust tool similar to this proof of concept game. This project begins the initial stages of planning, design, and building the necessary code to integrate these features onto websites.

Want to learn more?

For more information about this project before its completion, please email ltp@fpcc.ca to get in touch with the community team.

Tŝilhqot’in National Government

Project Description: The LTP-2324 Development component for this project builds upon the technical infrastructure of previous projects. This work includes the process of migrating the organization’s servers to a new location.

Want to learn more?

For more information on this project before its completion, please email jbambrick[@]tsilhqotin.ca to get in touch with the community team or visit its GitHub or language website: https://tsilhqotinlanguage.ca