News

ACCAN funds Media Access Australia’s social media accessibility project

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The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) today announced that Media Access Australia’s social media accessibility project will be among six to receive funding under the ACCAN Grants Scheme for 2011.

The Media Access Australia project will provide practical resources for people with disabilities on how to overcome accessibility issues with social media and effectively use social media for a variety of purposes.

Media Access Australia CEO Alex Varley said, "This project is much needed. Everybody wants to engage in social media and this is especially important for people with disabilities, some of whom are restricted in social opportunities."

Taxonomy:

Practical web accessibility

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US non-profit group sues CNN.com for uncaptioned online video

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A Berkeley-based non-profit group has filed a lawsuit against Time Warner for allegedly discriminating against the Deaf and hearing impaired by not providing captioned online videos on CNN.com.

CNN.com provides video-on-demand news content to millions of people via their website. The lack of captions means that those who are Deaf or hearing impaired are denied access to this service, instead being forced to wait for news to be aired via traditional television broadcast.

The Disability Rights Advocates who are representing the Greater Los Angeles Agency on Deafness and three individual plaintiffs are calling the lawsuit the first of its kind.

Taxonomy:

General

Captions

Deaf or hearing impaired

Web

News

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Vodafone Foundation Accessibility Awards promote apps for disabled and elderly

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Vodafone Foundation has launched a competition to promote the development of software applications that improve the lives of people with disabilities, and older people.

The Vodafone Foundation Smart Accessibility Awards, supported and co-organised by AGE Platform Europe and the European Disability Forum, will award the best Android 2.2+ application based on four criteria: social participation, independent living, mobility and wellbeing.

Each entry will be assessed on effectiveness, availability and affordability, user friendliness, usability and accessibility, and universal design.

Taxonomy:

General

Captions

Blind or vision impaired

Deaf or hearing impaired

Digital technology

Web

News

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Read more about Vodafone Foundation Accessibility Awards promote apps for disabled and elderly

Accessible Cinema Advisory Group releases second communiqué

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The Accessible Cinema Advisory Group (ACAG) met in late May to discuss the continued rollout of accessible cinema locations across the four major cinema chains of Hoyts, Village, Greater Union/Event/Birch Carroll & Coyle and Reading.

ACAG, assembled in 2010 by the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, oversees and advises on the implementation of accessible screens, and the outcomes of the meeting have been released in a second communiqué to the public.

The communiqué is reproduced below.

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