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Melbourne father, James Wright, has finally seen his appeal to the ABC come to fruition.
After a year of campaigning with a petition that pressed the national broadcaster and the creators of Bluey to feature episodes in Auslan, Wright is set to enjoy watching the cherished TV series with his daughter, thanks to a groundbreaking announcement.
The ABC revealed yesterday that they will introduce Auslan-accessible versions for several of Bluey’s most beloved episodes starting April 13.
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This significant development allows Wright’s two-year-old daughter, who has been profoundly deaf since birth, to partake in the “same cultural moments” as her peers and family.
"For my daughter, it means she can experience these shows in her first language," Wright, who is esctatic by the news, told nine.com.au.
"As a parent, it's really moving to see this happen.
"Kids who use Auslan will now be able to enjoy many of the same shows as every other Australian child."
Wright led the charge after realising only one episode had been translated into Auslan and over 14,000 people joined his cause on Change.org.
It took over 12 months, but change is now coming.
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"We're delighted to bring Auslan to our children's programming on ABC iview, and to create a more accessible, inclusive and connected experience for all young Australians as they enjoy our much‑loved children's content," ABC's head of screen Jennifer Collins said.
The episodes which will be Auslan-accessible will be Gardening Australia Jr, Ginger and the Vegesaurs, Kangaroo Beach, Fizzy & Suds, Knee High Spies, and later on this year, Flower & Flour.
The broadcaster said it will also roll out more titles with Auslan translations each year on ABC iView.
April 13 coincides with Auslan Day, which celebrates the deaf community in Australia.
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Wright had previously called on the ABC to translate all available 150 episodes of Bluey into Auslan, instead of simply adding closed captions.
The ABC met with Wright last year following his petition and said at the time they were "grateful to him for taking the time to discuss this important issue with us".
At the time, the show featured Auslan in just one episode titled Turtleboy, which involved a character named Dougie using sign language.
Queensland-based Ludo Studio, which produces Bluey, collaborated with consultants from Deaf Connect to bring the inclusive episode to life.
Wright said he is "holding his breath" to see the episodes air on April 13.
While it is an encouraging move from the ABC, he said there is far more work to be done to ensure deaf children feel welcome in popular culture.
"This is an important step, and hopefully the beginning of many more," he added.
"I hope this helps normalise the presence of Auslan across Australian media."
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