Blind or vision impaired

The third annual Audio Description Institute

no

This year’s Audio Description Institute will be held in Reno, Nevada, on 14-16 July, in conjunction with the American Council of the Blind’s annual conference and convention.

With the signing of the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act by President Obama last October, the United States will soon see a significant increase in audio description on television.

The institute, which is run by the Audio Description Project, offers a range of interactive sessions covering the history and theory of audio description, and is aimed at new audio describers and experienced describers who wish to refresh their skills.

Taxonomy:

General

Television

Video

Blind or vision impaired

Audio description

News

Twenty-first Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act

Top of page

Read more about The third annual Audio Description Institute

Conference promotes use of technology for better outcomes for not-for-profits

no

Media Access Australia’s Digital Media and Technology Manager Sarah Pulis will be talking to not-for-profit organisations about web accessibility at this year’s Connecting Up conference.

Connecting Up 2011 is a conference for organisations in the not-for-profit, charity and community sectors to discuss how new technologies can improve organisational efficiency and outcomes.

Pulis said, “For a lot of not-for-profits whose audience includes people with disabilities, sometimes more so than other sectors, providing a website that is accessible to all people is extremely important.”

Taxonomy:

Top of page

Read more about Conference promotes use of technology for better outcomes for not-for-profits

Federal Household Assistance Scheme continues to help people with disabilities

no

A bright point in this week’s Federal Government budget is the continuation of the Digital TV Taskforce’s Household Assistance Scheme (HAS).

The HAS provides a set-top box, installation and an antenna, if needed, to eligible households. These households are usually vulnerable people that are elderly, isolated or have a disability.

“The HAS is a model for how government programs should be run,“ said Media Access Australia CEO Alex Varley. “It has been designed in consultation with the people it will help and is sensitive and responsive to their needs.”

Taxonomy:

Top of page

Read more about Federal Household Assistance Scheme continues to help people with disabilities

Updates on Google Chrome OS and screen reader support

no

The Google Chrome blog has reported improved third-party screen reader support in the latest version of the Google Chrome operating system (beta), and according to a tweet by a Google research scientist, developers may soon have access to Google Chrome’s screen reader, ChromeVox.

The Google Chrome blog post lists a number of changes to the latest version of Google Chrome operating system (Beta), including preliminary support for popular screen readers JAWS, NVDA and VoiceOver.

Taxonomy:

General

Blind or vision impaired

Digital technology

Web

News

Practical web accessibility

Digital media and technology:

Screen readers

Top of page