Ross Millar | 2026 UoA 3MT Finalist

Ross Millar's presentation highlights a critical challenge faced by deaf individuals: despite completing high school, many possess reading levels comparable to those of nine or ten-year-old children because they are taught to read English, a language they have never heard and effectively treat as a foreign tongue. The core argument of his talk is that the solution lies not in forcing deaf people to master an auditory-based language, but rather in developing writing systems for their native sign languages. Currently, there is no universally accepted method to write down any of the approximately 160 sign languages used around the world, leaving a vast gap in literacy rates for the deaf community that Millar aims to bridge through his research. To address this issue, Millar proposes a practical approach where he would teach the basics of a sign language writing system in just two or three hours before providing stories to test comprehension. Since he cannot conduct these sessions live with an audience, he invites the viewers to participate directly by attempting to read a "foreign" language they have never seen before. He demonstrates this concept using a story about diving, where each line of text corresponds to specific visual elements and actions in sign language, such as identifying a diving board, setting the scene at a swimming pool, introducing characters on different sides, and finally depicting the action of taking the plunge. The presentation concludes with Millar expressing his hope that his research will eventually enable five million deaf people to achieve literacy in their own languages, thereby empowering them with better educational and communication tools. He ends by encouraging the audience to take the plunge themselves and read the final sign intended as applause for the deaf community, effectively turning the act of reading into a shared experience that validates the importance of preserving and developing deaf cultures through written representation.