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VoiceView improves vision-impaired access on budget-priced Kindles

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Earlier this week Amazon introduced text-to-voice accessory ‘VoiceView‘ to its more affordable Kindle models, starting with the Kindle Paperwhite (7^th gen). Up until now, this feature was only available on the company’s more expensive Kindle Fire tablets.

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International policy and legislation

Digital media and technology:

eReaders

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Accessible media preview from CSUN

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The annual International Technology and Persons with Disabilities Conference (commonly known as CSUN) starts on 21 March in San Diego, California. This year there is significant coverage around accessible media. Media Access Australia’s CEO, Alex Varley, previews some personal highlights.

Seated audience attending a conference

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Video

Digital technology

Web

Practical web accessibility

Deaf or hearing impaired

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Audio described programs on iview in February

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The ABC has released the list of programs that will be available on its online service iview during February with audio description for the blind or vision impaired.

ABC iview logo

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Solutions

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Blind activist launches petition for accessible inflight entertainment

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Philip Chalker has launched a petition on Change.org, asking that Virgin Australia provide audio description for people who are blind or vision impaired on its inflight entertainment systems.

Little boy wearing headphones inflight

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Audio describing a Lion Dance

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A very popular aspect of traditional Chinese culture is the lion dance. They are performed all over the world as part of festivals and events. Sometimes the dances are performed privately in restaurants or function spaces.

Southern Lion (Style: Fut San) in the Chinese New Year Parade 2014, London. Leicester Square London (Chinatown), UK, Feb 2014. Image credit: Dawning Leung

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Credit Union Christmas Pageant provides audio description

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The Credit Union Christmas Pageant will be broadcast on 101.5FM Radio Adelaide on the morning of Saturday 14^th November, with audio description provided for the very first time by Access2Arts in partnership with Beyond Bank and the Royal Society for the Blind.

Tune into 101.5FM on Pageant day Saturday 14 November. Beyond Bank proudly supports: Access2Arts and The Royal Society for the Blind. Beyond Bank is a proud sponsor of the Credit Union Christmas Pageant.

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Solutions

International policy and legislation

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Techniques

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US communications commissioner calls for increased accessibility for the blind

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In a blog post marking his second anniversary as chairman of the FCC (Federal Communications Commission), Tom Wheeler has emphasised the work that still needs to be done to make communications technology accessible for people who are blind and vision impaired.

FCC charman Tom Wheeler. Image credit: ALA Washington Office

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TV & video

Video

Review of access to electronic media

Policy

TV terms

TV access

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New accessible gaming resources available

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Media Access Australia’s gaming specialists have joined forces to bring you brand new information on accessible mainstream and mobile gaming options across Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo, Apple and Google devices.

Right hand holding a PlayStation 3 controller. Soccer game displayed on screen in the background.

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Digital technology

Review of access to electronic media

Sensory impairment

International policy and legislation

Deaf or hearing impaired

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Accessible gaming

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British conference celebrates audio description

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The RNIB Audio Description Conference: Celebrating Progress and Looking Ahead, which was held in London on 23 September, brought together a host of audio describers, broadcasters, film distributors, academics and other professionals who were keen to discuss ways of improving and expanding this essential service for people who are blind or vision impaired.

RNIB: supporting blind and partially sighted people

The conference included sessions on the last decade of audio description on television and in cinemas in the UK, and the challenges facing the service over the next ten years. It was coordinated by RNIB (the Royal National Institute of Blind People), and sponsored by BTI Studios, Deluxe and ITV.

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Research & policy

Review of access to electronic media

Policy

TV access