Creating Efficient Sign Language Announcements with Keynote Live Video • Accessibility Matters

When my colleague and office roommate Adrian came to me with the idea of creating video announcements for Deaf Awareness Week at Logan High School, it quickly grew into something much bigger — a creative project that brought accessibility to the forefront of the school day in a meaningful and visible way.

We discussed options and decided on using Keynote's simple effective Live Video feature. After we did a quick practice run, she was off to the races! Using Live Video, Adrian (Deaf and Hard of Hearing teacher) Naida (Sign Language Interpreter), and Tony (Associate Principal) turned everyday announcements into polished, engaging videos that incorporated sign language directly into the broadcast — and they did it all without a green screen! With a custom-designed slide background and a quick screen recording workflow, the team was able to create each day’s announcements in about 15 minutes while making a lasting impact on students and staff alike. The process was so simple that after the first day, Adrian flew solo with filming and knocked it out of the park all week, showcasing just how simple of a process this can be.

The energy around the project has been incredible. Hallways and classrooms have been filled with thoughtful conversations about accessibility, inclusion, communication, and how small shifts in practice can help more students feel seen, supported, and connected. Teachers have also become more aware of turning on captioning. One teacher even accidentally played the video on mute, and had a whole conversation about empathy and accessibility before realizing the audio was there the whole time; a happy accident that sparked meaningful dialogue in class.

What’s especially exciting is that this wasn’t a complicated production requiring expensive equipment or hours of editing. It was creativity, purpose, and a willingness to try something new — proof that meaningful innovation in schools can start with a simple idea and a few passionate people.

Check out more on using Keynote Live Video! A behind the scenes video of our recording is below as well!

A huge shout out to Adrian, Naida, and Tony for leading the way and showing how technology can help amplify accessibility in authentic and impactful ways.

#WeAreLaCrosse