<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN">
<html>
<head>
</head>
<body bgcolor="#ffffff" text="#000000">
<br>
<pre>IBM
Aug 18, 2008 07:01 ET
IBM Gives Voice to the Stories and Lives of Alaskans
LitSite Alaska Applies IBM Speech Technology to the Ancient Oral Tradition of
Storytelling, Helping Preserve Native Alaskan Language and Culture
ARMONK, NY and ANCHORAGE, AK--(Marketwire - August 18, 2008) - LitSite Alaska
(<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.litsite.org">www.litsite.org</a>) -- an interactive Web site with a wealth of information,
insights and stories about the history, diversity, culture and traditions of
Alaskans -- is bringing native language and stories to life using IBM (NYSE: IBM)
cutting-edge speech technology. Over 1,000 pages of text have been enhanced
with audio files, using IBM WebSphere Voice Server text-to-speech software.
These audio files even include uncommon pronunciations of Alaskan native names
and words such as KwaashKiKwaan, Tlingit, and Inupiaq.
LitSite Alaska (<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.litsite.org/">http://www.litsite.org/</a>), a project of the University of
Alaska Anchorage and the Alaska Literary Consortium, funded in part by grants from
the National Endowment for the Arts and the Rasmuson Foundation, is working
to "teach" the software proper pronunciation. One of the challenges of using
text-to-speech software is the uncommon pronunciations of Alaska Native names
and words. The oral tradition, an integral part of the lives of Alaska Natives,
is essential to learning and to passing on cultural knowledge and life skills.
Taking advantage of IBM WebSphere Voice Server's flexibility and easy to use
tools to create custom pronunciations is helping to preserve Alaska Native
words and making them available to the world on the Web.
"LitSite Alaska uses narrative to inspire learning and community building,"
said Ronald Spatz, professor and Dean of the University Honors College at the
University of Alaska Anchorage. "We bring people together through storytelling
and are using IBM's technology to give voice to hundreds of stories about
Alaska and the lives of Alaskans contained within our vast and growing archive."
"If we had to record all of the stories ourselves, the process would be too
costly and time consuming," said Spatz. "But with WebSphere Voice Server, we
can convert a page of text quickly and efficiently. For a not-for-profit site,
the savings in time and resources are enormous. LitSite Alaska is leveraging
IBM's technology to produce more audio content than its small staff of
freelancers and contract workers could do on its own."
"Alaskan storytelling is an art form and LitSite is playing a critical role
in continuing the tradition of preserving Alaskan culture," said Kareem Yusuf,
IBM Director of Product Management, WebSphere Software. "As a leader in speech
technology, IBM is pleased to be playing a role in bringing Alaskan tradition
to life on the Web through vocalizing traditional stories and native
language."
LitSite Alaska features narratives illustrating many aspects of life in
Alaska from past to present. It also features a tele-health resource, Narrative and
Healing, focusing on the therapeutic properties of writing and storytelling,
and providing examples of how people of all ages face life's challenges by
telling their stories. As an on-line learning tool, LitSite Alaska showcases a
living archive of lesson plans used in Alaskan classrooms and an extensive
collection of peer work by Alaskan students.
ABOUT IBM
For more information, please visit <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.ibm.com">www.ibm.com</a>
ABOUT LITSITE ALASKA
LitSite Alaska, a site building community and inspiring learning through
storytelling, was founded in 1999 and received seed funding from the National
Endowment for the Arts. The site features historical content about Alaska through
a partnership with the Alaska Digital Archives. The site also contains a
living archive of lesson plans used in Alaskan classrooms and an extensive
collection of peer work by Alaskan students. It also features a tele-health resource,
Narrative and Healing. The current site expansion is made possible by a grant
from Rasmuson Foundation. LitSite Alaska received a Chancellor's Award for
Excellence and has garnered praise from The Chronicle of Higher Education,
Education World, School Library Journal, First Lady Laura Bush, and the Anchorage
Daily News.
Litsite has been awarded Education World's highest rating: A+.
Visit: <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.litsite.org">http://www.litsite.org</a>
Contacts:
Steven Tomasco
IBM Media Relations
914-945-1655
cell - 917-687-4588
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:stomasc@us.ibm.com">stomasc@us.ibm.com</a>
Ronald Spatz
University of Alaska Anchorage
907-333-4799
907-786-4361
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:spatz@alaska.net">spatz@alaska.net</a> </HTML>
</pre>
<br>
<div class="moz-signature">-- <br>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; ">
<meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document">
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11">
<meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11">
<link rel="File-List"
href="Yale%20asst%20prof%20signature_files/filelist.xml">
<title>Alyssa Mt</title>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas:contacts" name="Sn">
<o:SmartTagType
namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"><o:SmartTagType
namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="PlaceType">
<o:SmartTagType
namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="PlaceName"><o:SmartTagType
namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="PersonName">
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas:contacts" name="middlename"><o:SmartTagType
namespaceuri="urn:schemas:contacts" name="GivenName">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Author>Alyssa Mt. Pleasant</o:Author>
<o:Template>Normal</o:Template>
<o:LastAuthor>Alyssa Mt. Pleasant</o:LastAuthor>
<o:Revision>7</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>54</o:TotalTime>
<o:Created>2006-07-05T16:10:00Z</o:Created>
<o:LastSaved>2007-01-31T22:54:00Z</o:LastSaved>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>50</o:Words>
<o:Characters>286</o:Characters>
<o:Company> </o:Company>
<o:Lines>2</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>335</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>11.8107</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>75</w:Zoom>
<w:GrammarState>Clean</w:GrammarState>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:S
napToGridInCell/>
<w:ApplyBreakingRules/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object
classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id=ieooui></object>
<style>
st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) }st2\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) }
</style>
<![endif]-->
<style>
<!--
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ansi-language:#0400;
mso-fareast-language:#0400;
mso-bidi-language:#0400;}
table.MsoTableGrid
{mso-style-name:"Table Grid";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
border:solid windowtext 1.0pt;
mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-border-insideh:.5pt solid windowtext;
mso-border-insidev:.5pt solid windowtext;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ansi-language:#0400;
mso-fareast-language:#0400;
mso-bidi-language:#040
0;}
</style>
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="2050"/>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1"/>
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</o:SmartTagType></o:SmartTagType></o:SmartTagType></o:SmartTagType></o:SmartTagType></o:SmartTagType></o:SmartTagType>
<div class="Section1">
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<table class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse;"
border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 4.35pt;">
<td
style="border-style: none none double; border-color: -moz-use-text-color -moz-use-text-color purple; border-width: medium medium 9pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 2.5in; height: 4.35pt;"
valign="top" width="240">
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</td>
<td
style="border-style: none none double; border-color: -moz-use-text-color -moz-use-text-color purple; border-width: medium medium 9pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 153pt; height: 4.35pt;"
valign="top" width="204">
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="">
<td
style="border: medium none ; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 2.5in;"
valign="top" width="240">
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><st2:PersonName w:st="on"><st1:GivenName
w:st="on">Alyssa</st1:GivenName> <st1:middlename w:st="on">Mt.</st1:middlename></st2:PersonName>
Pleasant, Ph.D.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Assistant Professor</p>
</td>
<td
style="border: medium none ; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 153pt;"
valign="top" width="204">
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="">
<td style="padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 2.5in;" valign="top"
width="240">
<p class="MsoNormal">American Studies Program</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><st2:place w:st="on"><st2:PlaceName w:st="on">Yale</st2:PlaceName>
<st2:PlaceType w:st="on">University</st2:PlaceType></st2:place></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">P.O. Box 208236<br>
New Haven, CT 06520-8236</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">203-436-8169</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 153pt;" valign="top"
width="204">
<p class="MsoNormal">Department of History</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><st2:place w:st="on"><st2:PlaceName w:st="on">Yale</st2:PlaceName>
<st2:PlaceType w:st="on">University</st2:PlaceType></st2:place><br>
P.O. Box 208324<br>
New Haven, CT 06520-8324</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="">
<td style="padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 2.5in;" valign="top"
width="240">
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:alyssa.mt.pleasant@yale.edu">alyssa.mt.pleasant@yale.edu</a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 153pt;" valign="top"
width="204">
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="">
<td style="padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 2.5in;" valign="top"
width="240">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i>Neka ne ne <st1:Sn w:st="on">hera</st1:Sn>
teh<o:p></o:p></i></b></p>
</td>
<td style="padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 153pt;" valign="top"
width="204">
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>