The Virtual Martin Luther King Jr. Project and the related publication show that those in the communication discipline highly value public speaking and persuasion, as well as immersion.
The emphasis on public speaking and persuasion is obvious throughout the project. Communication researchers are interested in what is said, but how it is said is at least equally as crucial, which is exactly the inspiration for this project.
The high value of immersiveness is also evident through the project. For those in the communication studies discipline, it is not enough to simply read information. Words are meant to be experienced and interacted with, as that is how true understanding is achieved.
Collaboration in Digital Humanities
Collaboration is one of the five values of digital humanities. The digital humanities encourage a free flow of information, as it is believed that many innovative ideas arise from collaborative environments. While this value does not directly relate to any values in the communication field, there is still a moderate relation, as the communications discipline encourages immersion as a way for all to experience whatever message is being shared.
Both the digital humanities and communication studies strongly encourage group work. In both disciplines, the best work is done when information and experiences are evaluated by many minds, and the Virtual Martin Luther King Jr. Project is a great example of this due to the large number of contributors. Overall, the values between the disciplines do not perfectly align. There is a relation, but the relation is somewhat weak.