The ACMA was given the power to draft the new standard as part of amendments to the Broadcasting Services Act which were passed last year. A series of meetings were held in which ACMA consulted with community representative groups, broadcasters and caption suppliers while formulating the standard.
The program, the first of its kind in the southern hemisphere, is designed to cater to the interests of people with a disability, policy makers, device manufacturers and software developers.
In a discussion paper, ‘Contemporary community safeguards inquiry’, the ACMA notes that one of its ‘enduring concepts’ is: “Australians should enjoy reasonable and equitable access to the media and communications infrastructure, services and content necessary to promote their effective participation in society and the economy.”
People with a print disability include those who are blind or vision impaired, have impaired mobility such as diminished dexterity, or cognitive disabilities such as dyslexia. The purpose of the conference was to provide information and generate discussion on how people with print disabilities can access information and services through technology
Speaking at the conference were Media Access Australia’s chief executive Alex Varley and project manager Dr Scott Hollier.
