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RNIB empowers blind and vision impaired Windows users through new book

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The UK's Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) has published a new book, Windows 7 and Vista Explained, a guide for users of Windows 7 and Vista who are blind or vision impaired.

The book, written by award-winning author Dr. Sarah Morley Wilkins and Steve Griffiths, is a step-by-step guide that takes users though computer basics and how to get started with Windows, and progresses to more advanced topics such as file management, using the Internet and the full range of accessibility features that are available in Windows 7 and Vista.

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YouTube accessible interface alternative now available

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The YouTube website has often been criticised in disability circles for its accessibility issues, namely its lack of keyboard control of videos and its distracting ‘instant playback’ feature. Fortunately an alternative website has been created which addresses these issues, and provides accessible ways to search, navigate and play back video.

The accessible YouTube interface has been designed according to the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, with an implementation of WAI-ARIA to further improve access for people using assistive technology products. Features include high contrast, simple sorting of search results, full keyboard navigation and the removal of the ‘instant playback’ feature.

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Popular accessibility book now freely available online

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If you are looking for a resource that talks about accessibility in user-centred design (UCD) and gives practical advice about including people with disabilities in the design and testing process, then the freely available Just Ask: Integrating Accessibility Throughout Design might just be for you.

Just Ask: Integrating Accessibility Throughout Design is published by Shawn Henry, who leads the worldwide education and outreach activities promoting web accessibility for people with disabilities at the W3C Web Accessibility Initiative.

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New cinema access system moves to development phase

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SightCine, a Los Angeles based start-up company, has secured development funding to create a prototype of its caption glasses concept. The idea is that the captions are displayed on the screen but are only visible to people wearing the glasses.

There is not much detail in exactly how the glasses work, but other systems using glasses have been developed before. In February 2007 an emerging technologies demonstration was showcased at a cinema in Washington DC. This was reported in Winter 2007 issue of The Media Access Report (“R&D For Cinema Captioning Systems”, p16).

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