When the phone lines were cut during the 1977 disability rights sit-in in San Francisco, protesters inside the federal building used sign language through the windows to tell supporters what was happening. Deaf people were among those who occupied the building for 26 days. Judy Heumann, a leading US disability rights campaigner, helped organise the protest. The protesters wanted the US government to enforce Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, which barred disability discrimination in federally funded programmes.
Nearly 50 years later, that protest is at the centre of Being Heumann, the film Apple has chosen to launch sign language interpretation on its streaming service. The drama, directed by Siân Heder and starring Ruth Madeley as Heumann, starts streaming today (13 November). The UK listing on Apple TV includes both British Sign Language (BSL) and American Sign Language (ASL).
BSL and ASL are distinct languages. For Deaf viewers who use BSL at home, its inclusion means being able to watch the film in their own language on release day.
How to turn on sign language in the Apple TV app
On a compatible TV or streaming device, open the Apple TV app’s sidebar and go to Settings → Accessibility → Sign Language. On an iPhone or iPad, open the device’s Settings → Apps → TV and turn on Sign Language. Then start a supported film, open the playback controls and select Sign Language to choose BSL or ASL. An interpreter appears in the corner of the picture. Apple has instructions for TVs and streaming devices and for iPhone and iPad.
The feature requires version 27.2 or later of iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS or visionOS. Apple says it also works on supported third-party devices with the latest version of the app. F1 is also part of the initial rollout, with Way of the Warrior Kid and Greyhound due to follow later this year.
Watch the Being Heumann trailer with British Sign Language on Apple’s UK site.
What’s next for sign language on Apple TV?
Apple says Deaf and native signers helped design and test the feature. Daniel Durant, who appears in Being Heumann and directed its sign language interpretation, said the work took care to capture “the emotion and meaning of the story”. Each interpretation is made for the film it accompanies.
UK viewers will also get a dedicated collection of films and programmes with British Sign Language, Apple confirmed to Deaf journalist Liam O’Dell. That will give people somewhere to look as the catalogue grows. In the UK, ITVX already has a dedicated BSL category. Apple puts the language choice in the player for the same title, alongside familiar controls such as subtitles.
One thing I look for in any accessibility feature is how much work someone has to do to use it. Apple lists the sign languages on the film’s page, which helps viewers decide what to watch before they press play. I’d like to see Apple offer British Sign Language on more films from the day they’re released.
