Disability

Error message

Deprecated function: Array and string offset access syntax with curly braces is deprecated in include_once() (line 14 of /home/mediacc/public_html/themes/engines/phptemplate/phptemplate.engine).

Social media, cloud show signs of improved access

no
Show on home page

The accessibility of social media and the cloud are beginning to mature, but access issues remain for people with disabilities, Media Access Australia’s resident web accessibility expert Dr Scott Hollier says.

Dr Scott Hollier's 'Accessible consumer technologies and the cloud' presentation at VisAbility's Tech Outlook 2014


Top of page

Q&A: Australia’s Media Accessibility in a Multicultural, Multilingual Context—Australia as a Case Study

no
Show on home page

Media Access Australia spoke to Professor Peter Hutchings, Dean of the School of Humanities and Communication Arts at the University of Western Sydney about media accessibility in Australia; in particular, looking at how multiculturalism and multilingualism affect people’s access to media—a topic on which Professor Hutching recently presented on at the 2014 Languages & The Media conference in Berlin.

Professor Peter Hutchings using a MacBook


Top of page

Captions supporting students with autism

no
Show on home page

Captions are acknowledged as being beneficial for a range of students with diverse learning needs, including Deaf and hearing impaired, English as a Second Language and now a new initiative from Ai-Media in the UK shows how captions support students with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD).

Young girl pressing finger down on a tablet device

Digital media and technology: 

Top of page

Samsung announces new eye-controlled mouse

no
Show on home page

Electronics company Samsung has announced that it has created a new eye-controllable mouse, EYECAN+, to allow people with disabilities to browse the web and compose and edit documents through eye movements.

Hyung-Jin Shin, graduate student who has worked with Samsung demonstrates the EYECAN+ mouse. Image credit: Samsung Tomorrow


Top of page

Westpac banking app inaccessible: Former Disability Commissioner

no
Show on home page

Former Australian Disability Commissioner Graeme Innes is lodging a complaint against major Australian bank Westpac due to the alleged inaccessibility of its mobile banking application.

iPhone 6 resting on a flat surface

In a blog post, Innes claimed that as the result of an upgrade to Westpac’s online banking platform several months ago, including changes to its banking app, he could no longer bank via his iPhone.


Top of page

Five live-caption quality issues from the UK

no
Show on home page

The quality of live captioning was a major topic discussed at the recent The Future of Subtitling conference held in London on 10 November 2014. Media Access Australia CEO Alex Varley presented at the conference and he gives his impressions on the main issues from the UK perspective.

Woman using live captioning set-up with microphone, headphones and computer


Top of page

US cinemas and advocacy groups agree on accessible cinema recommendations

no
Show on home page

US cinema owners and advocacy groups have come to a historic agreement in order to make accessible cinema recommendations to government around the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Columbia City Cinema main hall


Top of page

3D printers to improve classroom access

no
Show on home page

While not traditionally thought of as media, 3D printers are emerging as a new way for students to access learning and information.

Printing head of a FELIX 3D Printer

Increasingly affordable devices can ‘print’ three dimensional objects with computer-based 3D ‘maps’ of everything from chemical compounds, microorganisms, topographical maps, to bodily organs and machine parts.

Digital media and technology: 

Top of page

Ofcom releases first access report for 2014

no
Show on home page

The UK communications regulator Ofcom has released its Television Access Report for the first half of 2014, which shows that once again, most British broadcasters are exceeding their access requirements. The report comes as the Federal Government is trying to end similar reporting requirements which are in place for Australian broadcasters.

Girl watching TV


Top of page

Curtain call for Stagetext CEO Tabitha Allum

no
Show on home page

For the last decade, UK arts captioning organisation Stagetext has been led by the dedicated and talented Tabitha Allum. Tabitha steps down from her role as Chief Executive this month and as a leader in the field of accessible arts, Media Access Australia would like to bestow one final title upon her: Expert in Access. Read on to learn why.

Stagetext CEO Tabitha Allum


Top of page

Pages

Subscribe to RSS - Disability