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WA invests $4m in classroom accessibility technology

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The West Australian government has promised $4m for interactive whiteboards (IWBs) in the state’s public schools. IWBs, which use touchscreen functionality, offer interactivity and multimedia capabilities which not only boost student engagement but allow for easy use of assistive technology, such as captions.

WA Education Minister, Dr Liz Constable, said that IWBs are particularly beneficial for students with special needs, including those with intellectual disabilities and autism spectrum disorders. “Students with autism are visual and the technology allows teachers to run image-based programs on the screen.”

IWBs are used in Media Access Australia’s Classroom Access Project, a series of prototype classrooms in mainstream schools which exemplify how technology can best be used to fully include Deaf and hearing impaired students.

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Captions
Interactive whiteboard
Education
Deaf or hearing impaired
IWB solution
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Deaf/hearing impaired Education news
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National Broadband Network to improve lives of people with disabilities

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The rollout National Broadband Network (NBN) presents an opportunity for the Federal Government and telecommunications industry to make a real difference to Australians with disabilities. Craig Wallace, a marketing professional and wheelchair user, argued in an article on the ABC’s Ramp Up website that these benefits need to be considered from the outset if they are to be unlocked.

In the article, Wallace argues that the NBN has the potential to bridge gaps between city and country, rich and poor, abled and disabled. “Work to address those barriers needs to happen now so that we build in the access features up-front and don't repeat the mistakes we made with poorly planned inaccessible built infrastructure and housing. Building it and assuming they will come is not enough.”

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Web
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Deaf/hearing impaired Digital Technology & Online Media news
Blind/vision impaired Digital Technology & Online Media news
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Audio description rules formally adopted in USA

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On 25 August 2011 the Federal Communications Commission formally voted in the requirements to deliver audio description on a number of American TV and cable channels.  These new rules flow on from the provisions of the 21st Century Video Accessibility Act and apply from October 2011 with full compliance required by July 2012. 

The rules require the major television networks (ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC) and their affiliates in the top 25 market areas to provide audio description (called “video description” in the USA) to provide at least 50 hours of children’s or prime time programming per quarter.  These rules also apply to any cable and satellite stations with more than 50,000 subscribers, including the Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, TNT and TBS.

There are additional requirements designed to minimise repeats and existing description counting towards the quota.

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General
International policy and legislation
Blind or vision impaired
Audio description
News
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Blind/vision impaired TV, DVD, Cinema & the Arts news
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Canadian Government launches new standard on web accessibility

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 The Canadian Government has announced that all public facing government websites will comply with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines(WCAG) 2.0 level AA. The new requirements came into effect on 1 August 2011 and will be implemented in three phases over two years.

The Standard on Web Accessibility outlines the requirements for government departments, and is supported by a guidance document outlining specific deliverables, tools and solutions. The Government suggested that the departments start implementing the guidelines immediately, giving priority to core content and most important information.

Taxonomy: 
General
International policy and legislation
News
Practical web accessibility
Digital media and technology: 
WCAG
News alert taxonomy: 
Blind/vision impaired Digital Technology & Online Media news
Research & Policy news
Practical Web Accessibility news

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