Rosetta Stone, the language-learning folks with the cute ads you might’ve seen in the Economist or the New Yorker:
“He was a hardworking farm boy. She was an Italian supermodel. He knew he would have just one chance to impress her.”
… have an Endangered Languages program. What a great idea — they’re apparently working with the Mohawks in Kahnawake, among others. Even the copyright/ownership issues seem not to be terribly onerous:
Community-Owned
The final product is owned by you. Distribute it as you wish: in schools, in homes, or online. Sell through the Rosetta Stone web site with royalties, sell at cost locally, or distribute it free to your community. You are creating a permanent asset for your community.
Culturally Relevant
Rosetta Stone is customizable. It can teach from images that reflect your community. Photos can come from tribal archives, the local paper, from our photographer, or yours.
They clearly understand that it’s about adaptation, not translation. Good for them.