PHILADELPHIA, PA – The Independence Visitor Center Corporation and BarZ Adventures Inc. announce the debut of the first multimedia GPS Ranger™ tour of Independence National Historical Park. The educational and entertaining video tour leads visitors to over 25 points of interest, detailing the history, stories and significance behind some of the nation’s most treasured landmarks.

The self-paced tours are delivered through the GPS Ranger, a patent-pending, handheld computer device that delivers compelling video, audio, musical soundtrack and historical photography based on the location of the user through the power of GPS (Global Positioning System) technology. Visitors rent the device from the Independence Visitor Center, and as they walk, informative full-color videos automatically play as the users approach pre-determined GPS waypoints or tour stops. “Learn More” video segments can be viewed on demand to supplement tour stop videos with more in-depth knowledge.

The Independence Visitor Center recently made headlines nationwide with their GPS Ranger tour, due to being the first venue to offer a multimedia video tour guide of National Park sites featuring American Sign Language (ASL) for their visitors who are deaf or hard of hearing.

“We are very proud to offer the GPS Ranger Tour. This revolutionary walking tour guide will highlight the best of Philadelphia’s Most Historic Square Mile. The state-of-the-art Independence Visitor Center continues to offer the highest quality products and services to our visitors – and we look forward to continuing to expand on these advances.” Says Christine Keates, General Manager at Independence Visitor Center Corporation.

Tours are hosted by Ralph Archibald, the Philadelphia resident Ben Franklin, and detail different points of interest so tour-goers get an inside look at the history and stories behind America’s birthplace.

Some of highlights of the tour include:

• Liberty Bell and the significance this monument holds to people across the country, including a recounting of the Bell’s travels around the nation following the Civil War as it was used as a tool to foster unity.
• National Constitution Center dedicated to increasing public understanding and appreciation for the Constitution, its history and contemporary relevance.
• The Declaration House, a reconstruction of the lodging house where Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence in 1776.
• Washington Square, a public park of contrasts, containing a burial ground of fallen Revolutionary War soldiers and the eternal flame honoring them, as well as the “Moon Tree” grown from seeds that were onboard a moon flight in 1971.
• City Tavern which, according to John Adams, is the “most genteel tavern in America” and also where Paul Revere announced the closing of Boston Harbor by the British following the Boston Tea Party.
• Christ Church Burial Ground, which contains the final resting places of five signers of the Declaration of Independence, including the grave of Ben Franklin.
• Elfreth’s Alley, the oldest continuously inhabited residential street in the country, dating back to the early 1700’s.

In addition to video segments, the GPS Ranger tour incorporates fun facts and trivia questions that transform the tour into an interactive gaming experience. Knowledge that is newly gained from the videos and tour stops is tested with interactive questions with points awarded for correct answers.

“BarZ Adventures is excited to introduce 21st century technology that brings an 18th century Philadelphia back to life; presenting the history and stories of ‘The Birthplace of America’ to a new generation of visitors in a format that is entertaining and fun. Having Ben Franklin host the GPS Ranger video tour was an exceptional way to unite history and technology. It’s a great way to learn about the founding of America in a manner that all visitors are sure to enjoy,” said Wm. Lee Little, Founder and CEO of BarZ Adventures.

Independence Visitor Center has partnered with BarZ Adventures Inc to bring the interpretive and cutting-edge tour to Philadelphia visitors so they can explore the area like never before. Initially the tour is available in English and American Sign Language (ASL), with additional language options in French, German, Italian and Spanish being introduced in coming weeks. ASL was the first alternative language offered, made possible by a partnership between BarZ Adventures and CSD (Communication Service for the Deaf).

CSD — a nationally renowned private nonprofit deaf and hard of hearing service organization — recently entered into a partnership with BarZ Adventures to further their mission of creating access, independence and awareness for their deaf and hard of hearing constituents. Now, as BarZ Adventures continues to create tours at other public venues around the nation, CSD will assist those venues in meeting the guidelines set forth by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Because the script is originally developed in English, the act of translating the tour into ASL is a simple, efficient and cost-effective means of meeting ADA guidelines, because the interpreter only needs to be filmed signing the available script/tour. The GPS Ranger also includes a captioning option, for those deaf or hard of hearing individuals who do not use ASL as their primary mode of communication.

“Historically, CSD has been at the forefront of providing deaf and hard of hearing services, from the service we named text-interpreting in 1976 which became the telecommunications relay service, to being the first company to make the video relay service commercially available nationwide,” said Ben Soukup, CSD chief executive officer. “Now, BarZ Adventures, an innovative and energetically forward-thinking company, has given CSD the means to join them in making the nation’s first virtual sign language tours available in historic cities like Philadelphia, with many more sites yet to come.”

The GPS Ranger Independence Tour is self-paced and about two to three hours in length including stops into the different sites. Tours can be rented from the Independence Visitor Center for $15.95 and can be shared by several visitors.

Copyright 2008 BarZ Adventures Inc. All rights reserved. From http://www.barzadventures.com.
To view the Internet Travel Monitor Archive, click http://www.tripinfo.com/ITM/index.html.