Hi everyone. This is my first email post to this blog. I was an early adopter of this whole audio-description concept. I think it’s great that we have so much of it today in our lives, and hope this trend will continue. Numerous family and friends–most of whom have working eyeballs–have greatly benefited from it as well. So it’s painfully obvious why there needs to be even more of it in the world. I’m in the process of acquiring my first iPhone, and can’t wait to try out Actiview. I’ve been reading good things about this new app. Thanks for reading, and I will have more to come so stay tuned right here.
Team member posts
Introducing Pilar from Barcelona
If you wish to write to Pilar, send us an email.
I work at Barcelona University where I research on media accessibility: audio description, audio subtitles/captions, easy to read, clean audio, etc.
I also collaborate with some standardization agencies such as ISO and UN ITU where in the Human Factors section I work on guidelines, recommendations and good practices for media accessibility. For example, last year we published the ISO on audio description, and this year the ISO on audio subtitles.
Right now I’ve just started a European funded project on immersive accessibility. In the next 30 months I’ll be working to find out where and how to subtitle/caption and audio describe 360 videos.
I am really interested in bench-marking quality in audio description, and I welcome any ideas.
My Introductory Post
Hello everyone. My name is Jake and I live in Illinois. I have been blind since birth, and have been a big fan and supporter of audio description since its inception, sometimes called video description or VD for short. This isn’t to be confused with the other type of VD. I firmly believe that AD enhances television programs, movies, and other art and entertainment forms for people who have visual impairments. It has been known to benefit others too, even people who do not have disabilities. It is truly wonderful to see and hear these descriptions on services like NetFlix and iTunes. However, there needs to be more of it on other platforms.
Aside from audio descriptions my interests include hanging out with family and friends, computers and adaptive technology including reading stuff on my digital talking book machine. Thanks for reading.
As Netflix becomes more accessible, what’s next?
Here is a potition that asks for Hulu to add audio descriptions.
For years, our team has been pressuring Netflix to make their content and service accessible. We have succeeded in many fronts, with the latest accomplishment being that Netflix has switched to a fully accessible HTML 5 player.
They are adding audio description in countries other than the United States as well. Our UK team members report that we have more described titles than they do to choose from but their selections are growing as well.
So, our team asked, over at the Facebook group, what’s next? We’re not finished advocating for greater accessibility on streaming platforms. It’s 2016, after all. More should be done to ensure this happens.
Our next target is Hulu, but we will still continue to advocate for blind and visually impaired customers as well as other streaming services, even YouTube.
We will advocate for captions, and web design for the mobility impaired as well. Our team consists of a wide array of staff with a varying array of disabilities and we care about all streaming media customers.
I just want to say, from the team, thank you to all readers, guest bloggers, and news outlets that have helped us show the importance and need for accessible design. It’s not over yet, but this is certainly an epic start!
Over the course of the coming weeks, the blog will get a new design as well as name to better reflect our mission and size. We have grown and hope to expand even more in the years to come. Thank you everyone! May the accessibility be with you!
“Daredevil,” Audio Description and the Accessible Netflix Project.
Youtube: Showing off the described titles on Netflix as of today
Because this listing is not open to the public I thought that it would be a grand idea to make a video of this, showing what titles are described as of today.
Apple TV bug allows audio description on Netflix show
Reports from several Apple TV users in the USA have stated that the popular Netflix show New Girl has an audio description on by default in some of it’s episodes
According to the users, Many people have been watching the shows to see if a repeat occurrence would happen but all reported that only 2 episodes in season 2 have the audio description track on by default. The episodes are one and two.
When played on different devices, such as a laptop, however, the audio description does not play at all. The audio description does not play on tablets, video game systems, and mobile viewing devices.
A forum illustrates that this has been noted by the sighted community as well.
Netflix didn’t want to comment on the glitch but they kept assuring me that the problem with the audio description would be resolved as soon as possible, even after I told the operator I didn’t see it as a glitch. I wanted more of it on different shows because it would allow me, as a blind man, to watch shows.
I was unable to get a definitive answer from Apple regarding the Apple TV and a possible stream intercept. A Netflix representative assumed I was calling in a “problem,” and assured me that the team are working hard to fix the issue as quickly as possible, even after I explained that I’d like more of the so called, glitch, on other episodes and TV shows.
Since it can’t be replicated on any other device, even video game systems, it’s a safe assumption that only Apple TV owners will hear the audio description on the episodes. If the audio file were on their servers then people using different devices would be able to hear the audio description as well. If it is, indeed, on the Netflix server, then that’s definitive proof they are choosing to not use these audio files that have the description track.
Audio description is on the way to an official Netflix only show, however. stay tuned for an investigative report on that.
FCC Extends Waiver of Advanced Communications Accessibility Rules
FCC rules implementing the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA) require equipment used for advanced communications services (ACS) to be accessible to individuals with disabilities. The FCC may waive these ACS accessibility requirements for devices that are capable of accessing ACS, but are designed primarily for purposes other than using ACS.
On January 28, 2015, the FCC’s Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau extended the waiver it granted in 2014 for basic e-readers for one year – until January 28, 2016. Basic e-readers that qualify for the waiver are designed primarily for the purpose of reading text-based digital works, such as books, and must meet each of the following requirements:
- The device has no LCD screen, but rather utilizes a screen that is designed to optimize reading.
- The device has no camera.
- The device is not offered or shipped to consumers with built-in ACS client applications and the device manufacturer does not develop ACS application s for its respective device, but the device may be offered or shipped to consumers with a browser and social media applications.
- The device is marketed to consumers as a reading device and promotional material about the device does not tout the capability to access ACS.
inks to the Waiver Extension Order:
Word: https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-15-117A1.docx
PDF: https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-15-117A1.pdf
Text: https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-15-117A1.txt
The FCC might focus on internet video standards rules next!
On December 17, 2014, the FCC adopted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) seeking comment on a proposal to update its rules to better reflect the fact that video services are being provided increasingly over the Internet. The FCC proposes to change the definition of a multichannel video programming distributor (MVPD) because video programming is now no longer tied to a particular distribution technology (such as cable or satellite). The new proposed definition of an MVPD will include providers that make multiple linear streams of video programming available for purchase, regardless of the technology used to distribute the programming. This proposal is designed to ensure that (1) the Commission’s regulations continue to cover members of the video distribution industry if they change their services to Internet protocol delivery and (2) new web-based video programming services have access to the tools they need to compete with established providers.
Specifically, the NPRM proposes to define the term MVPD in either one of the two following ways:
- Any programming distributor of multiple linear video programming streams, including Internet-based services, OR
- Any programming distributor that has control over a transmission path.
The NPRM asks for public comment on the benefits and burdens of each of these possible definitions, and how each would impact MVPDs, consumers, and content owners.
Links to the News Release:
Word: https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-331161A1.docx
Adobe: https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-331161A1.pdf
Links to the NPRM:
Webpage: http://www.fcc.gov/document/commission-adopts-mvpd-definition-nprm
Word: https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-14-210A1.doc
Adobe: https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-14-210A1.pdf
Trying to getNBC’s reality show “Starting Over” online
We believe that advocating for what you believe in should be done regardless of how small the task. That is why we want to showcase this blog post from a blind Chicago resident. Starting Over is not described at all but could be. Many TV shows are described on one platform and not the other, as well. This blog post demonstrates a bit of explanation on why audio description should be taken seriously on all accounts.
Hi Everyone,
It’s been a long long time since I’ve been on here! I don’t really know if people read this or not, so have been concintrating more on making videos.
However, I thought I’d put something on here about this project I’m doing to see if anyone has thoughts or ways they could help.
The producers of the real world did a show that ran from 2003 to 2006called “Starting Over” It featured six women living together in a house working on life goals with the help of coaches Rhonda Britten, Iyanla Van Zant, and Stan Katz a psychologist. It showed the ups and downs of the women’s progress in the house, both on their individual goals and also issues within the group. The issues dealt from ranged from working on finding better romantic relationships, to redefining identity, to learning to “grow up”, to addressing child abuse ETC. I…
View original post 491 more words
audio description advocates respond to DOJ comment requests
Back in July, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) requested commments on a proposed update to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to require movie theaters to provide closed movie captioning and audio description. The ACB recently filed a response. The deadline for filing your own response has passed, but you can read the ACB response. You can also read the original DOJ filing, if you wish.
We have filed our own comments as well via their online forms. At the moment we are actively working on advocating for other video on demand accessibility concerns with other services because Netflix is at a bit of a standstill as definitive actions are taken in key places, most of which, we can’t talk about yet
The Interview is showing in theaters with audio description
The Interview, the controversial and much talked about comedy about North Korea has been released in over 300 independent theaters, some of which offer audio description. While major theater chains have opted not to screen the Sony Pictures movie, some smaller chains, notably Alamo Drafthouse will offer the movie in many of their theaters. Most Drafthouse locations offer audio description of movies in all of their screens, and a descriptive audio track was created for the movie, meaning it should be available with audio description. Check the link on this post for other theaters showing the movie. If your theater is listed and it typically offers audio description, then there’s a good bet you’ll be able to enjoy the Interview with description. The movie is also available online for rent or purchase, albeit without the description track.
Happy Holidays from the team
We, from the Accessible Netflix Project, wish everyone happy holidays and more! Many of our them are taking a break from the blog and otherwise to celebrate their various holidays so we want to wish all of you well. Below will be a link to get some described DVDs if you want to stock up for the holidays. Thank you everyone and we will be back after the new year!
Introduction
Hi. its marvin here from adelaide, australia. i am 49, live with parents, in adelaide. australia. i am one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, http://www.jw.org. i have a toshiba satellite pro, running windows 7 pro 64 bit, jaws 16, and use firefox, internet explorer, microsoft office 2010 pro. i use dreamweaver to design html sites. i use visual studio ultimate 2013, for doing programming projects. have a Diploma of website development from http://wsi.tafenws.edu.au. I did a contact call centre. Looking for a free aspt dot net web host. if any one knows, where i can get one. Looking to enroll in a programming course, certificate iv programming from http://www.upskilled.edu.au. i love listening to talking books, and have a plextalk dasi player from http://www.visionaustralia.org. love listening to books, and the current one, is Genesis, Chapter and Verse. and also love my 80s and 90s music, and have a Panosonic portable stereo, plays usb, and have a Endruo treadmill, and use that. I also love my science fiction. a huge star trek fan, and watching the Next Generation at the moment. Also i love stargate atlantis, airchrash investigation, seconds from disaster. I am interested in creating two projects, either a disability database on the web, or a one stop blind site. have a nice day. Marvin.
Will Netflix be inaccessible in Australia and New Zealand?
Today, Netflix has announced that in March of 2015 they will be providing Netflix in Australia and New Zealand. Internet-connected users in Australia and New Zealand will be able to subscribe to Netflix and instantly watch a curated selection of popular movies and TV shows in high-definition or even 4K where available. At launch, the premium and unique Netflix offering will include such original series as Marco Polo, BoJack Horseman and, among many kids titles, DreamWorks Animation’s All Hail King Julien.
It will also be home to the critically acclaimed documentaries Virunga and Mission Blue, and stand-up comedy specials Uganda Be Kidding Me, Live, from Chelsea Handler and Jim Jefferies’s BARE, among many others. The Netflix ANZ selection will expand in 2015 to include highly anticipated original series family thriller Bloodline starring Ben Mendelsohn, Kyle Chandler, Sissy Spacek, Linda Cardellini and Sam Shepard; the gripping Super Hero tale Marvel’s Daredevil featuring Charlie Cox, Rosario Dawson, Deborah Ann Woll, Elden Henson and Vincent D’Onofrio; Sense8, a new globe-spanning thriller series from the creators of The Matrix trilogy and Babylon 5, and, from the creator of Friends, Grace and Frankie with Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda.
This is all well and good, but what about accessibility? In the press release today there hasn’t been a mention of a commitment to accessibility. According to the WCAG guidelines, though, they might have to make their site accessible because the government deemed it so. in 2008, the Australian Government ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), which specifically recognizes (under Articles 9 and 21) that access to information, communications and services, including the internet, is a human right.
The WCAG applies to agencies and government websites, however, so this means that Netflix is in a gray area and they don’t have to make their site accessible. Under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 agencies must ensure that people with disabilities have the same fundamental rights to access information and services as others in the community but this is a service, not an agency. Netflix has to make the conscious decision to add and implement accessibility throughout all devices, including adding audio description, even though it isn’t mandated by law
WCAG 2.0 conformance is required on all websites owned and/or operated by government under any domain. This includes external (public-facing or private) and internal (closed community) sites. That is, conformance is required for all internet, intranet and extranet sites.
All websites and web content created after July 2010 must meet at least WCAG 2.0 Single A by 31 December 2012 but this is a media service, not a government agency, so it looks as if they are not bound by these laws, WCAG standards.
Audio description seems very unlikely, as Australia is still an ongoing discussion. Currently ABC 1 is the only source for audio description but Australians are actively advocating for more audio description. In July 2013, Blind Citizens Australia (BCA) lodged 21 disability discrimination complaints against the Federal Government and the ABC for not providing an audio description service. BCA commenced conciliation discussions with the ABC in 2014. The discussions are being brokered by the Australian Human Rights Commission, and are ongoing.
New Zealand has a bit better audio description reception. All Freeview-approved televisions, set-top boxes and PVRs can access audio description at the time of live broadcast. Check with your supplier to find out which PVRs can record audio description.
Will Netflix reach out to advocacy organizations to ensure accessibility? Will they actively implement accessible designs? Time will tell, but people can definitely help by making needs and desires heard.
Send an Email to Team-NetflixANZ@pulsecom.com.au to voice your thoughts or concerns about accessibility and accessible design, including audio description. With the power of the people, the community can be an advocate that helps everybody in big or small increments
We are still advocating for disabled Netflix users.
This is Robert Kingett of the accessible Netflix project just writing to say that we are still very much advocating for an accessible Netflix. I, for the month of October, have been offline and this has made communication and news distribution really limited.
While it’s true that we are waiting for something to happen with our newly developed connections and partnerships we are still working hard to make Netflix and other video on demand services accessible.
Over the next few weeks we will most likely post news about audio description and otherwise to keep this blog updated.
Thank you for your understanding and keep advocating for what you believe in!
Opinion. Netflix excludes the blind on Attitude Live Magazine.
Hi all, I am very sorry it has been a while with no updates but I have two articles to share with you.
The first is an opinion piece by me explaining why I have started the accessible Netflix Project and why Netflix, and other VOD platforms should make their sites and services accessible to everyone.
http://attitudelive.com/blog/robert-kingett/opinion-netflix-excludes-blind
the next is a news article in a weekly. It’s called SF weekly. It’s an interview with me about where I want to take the project and why the project started, and it even details a bit of my history as well, such as what school was like, ETC. that link is below. Enjoy!
http://www.sfweekly.com/thesnitch/2014/08/19/robert-kingett-blind-journalist-takes-on-netflix
We’re still advocating. At the moment, however, we are just waiting for emails to be returned, phone calls to be returned, and team members to finish with final exams. Audio description news may pop up to keep this blog updated.
We thank you for your continued advocacy and support!
Audio description news and a strong attempt at getting to Netflix again
There are some very slow yet palpable advancements with audio description happening in the USA, and yes, with us as well and what we are doing. First though, we want to bring some audio description news to you that showcases the increasing advancement of audio description.
Justice Dept Proposes ADA Modification for Movie Theater Accessibility.
On Friday, July 25, Attorney General Eric Holder signed a Notice of Proposed Rule making (NPRM) to amend the Title III regulation for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to require movie theaters to provide closed movie captioning and audio description in order to give persons with hearing and vision disabilities access to movies. Read the full announcement.
Emirates Airline Introduces Movies With AD Tracks
Emirates, who was recently awarded the ‘World’s Best Airline Inflight Entertainment’ award at the SKYTRAX World Airline Awards for the 10th consecutive year, now offers Audio Description soundtracks on 16 Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures films. Read the article on Emirates.
Lionsgate starting to release DVD’S with AD.
Until now Lionsgate have published the audio description tracks in theaters and not on DVDS. This is changing, or so we hope. They are beginning to release the audio description tracks onto DVD’s that are in theaters. We’re not sure if this is an ongoing thing but we are pleased that Lionsgate and their Summit Entertainment subsidiary have been releasing a few audio described videos lately, though sometimes only on Blu-ray.
That’s all the news for today. Now I want to tell you about yet another attempt to get Netflix to work with us, before sending them the news article in SF Weekly that has been trending on Facebook. Thank you by the way.
In a Skype chat with a few of our team members we debated about trying, yet again, to open up a dialog about Netflix accessibility. The promises didn’t look very good, with their last Email directly to us has been august of last year. We debated, pondered, deliberated, and pondered some more.
“You know what? I think we should,” Kate said over sounds of a dog wining to go outside. She then added a thought that we didn’t know how to even proceed with. Should we send them the SF article?
“I don’t think so,” I suggested. “that could seem as if we are taunting them and I don’t want to do that.”
“Robbie,” Angela, another team member interjected, “there’s a fine difference between taunting and saying that we don’t want to be ignored anymore. We want to have someone there tell us, at least, we want to do it, and we, at least, want to be taken seriously. We want to help, and It’s stupid that we are being ignored.”
“Seriously guys, I get it, I seriously do. We’re all frustrated. We have been at this for a little over a year. We want to have the company tell us they are working on it but don’t you think that’s nudging a bit too much?” there was a collective groan filling my earphones not even a second after I finished my thoughts. My team weighed in. at least, the local Chicago team anyway. Their minds were set but was it even worth it? What would that accomplish, sending them the article in SF weekly, I didn’t think it would make them want to be our friend any faster but I didn’t have any ideas at all. My pool of plans and strategies drained like water in a tub. The decision was up to me and I had no idea how to proceed at all.
“Let’s meet at the library tomorrow,” I said, “in a meeting room with our laptops and IPhones.”
“You don’t have an IPhone, remember?” Kate interjected mockingly.
The next day rolled around and with it came a meeting where the Chicago team all huddled around a circular table, looking at past emails and documents in a library. To the public eye we were college kids furiously researching documents. To us, we were lost activists wondering how the professionals managed to keep their hair dashingly combed. We broke off into individual teams. I was on the Email trail, hunting down old emails to send to yet again within the Netflix company, Kate dialed and dialed the Netflix corporate office, navigating to any random person higher up than a customer service personnel hoping that we could, at least, talk to someone live about our letter we sent last year and invitations to start dialogs but she kept hitting voice-mails. Angela, in between downloading books on her Victor Reader Stream, was hunting around the web for people who have mentioned us. Perhaps Netflix publicly said something about us. If they did we all wanted to know what it would say, for sure.
About an hour into our tasks Angela let out a very preppy “OMG you guys, you guys, guess what?!
“What?” I said, “you see Will Smith In here just waiting for my marriage proposal?”
“He is not attractive,” Kate moaned with a grin, “:you just don’t know your stars, do you?”
“you are blind,” I reminded her with a smile.
“Redbox just got totally told by DRA!” she squealed, swiveling the laptop towards us just as Kate was leaving yet another message on yet another answering machine at Netflix. Remembering that she still had the ear-buds in, and that she literally swiveled the laptop toward us, she blushed and unplugged the headphones to have NVDA read us an article about Redbox in California having to make implementations to aid the blind. We looked up disability rights advocates and soon found an Email. The ladies immediately forwarded the Email to my cell, declaring that I was to contact them and ask them to help us. I quickly typed out an Email and sat there a while before sending, with the girls and I listening to the Email several times before actually sending it.
With their urging, I pulled up an Email with all the Netflix contacts in one BCC field and pasted the article in SF weekly in the body of the message as a link. Kate, meanwhile, was leaving her last voice mail of the day.
“Hi. This is Kate, I’m a member of the accessible Netflix project, I want to talk to someone about, not accessibility, but about getting a movie onto Netflix. I think that Star Wars would be such a wonderful movie to have on Netflix because it still teaches kids the importance of imagination and belief. Besides, everybody grew up on Star Wars. Netflix should make us feel more like we’re living the good old days and have all Star Wars movies on there, because we love the force. Thank you! My number is,” she gave her number, “If you want to talk about this matter. Thank you and I look forward to having a lively discussion about Star Wars.” with a flourish and a heavy sigh, she hung up, looked at me, and glared.
“That’s it. Send the Email now or else I will call Netflix asking for Barnie next.” smiling, I definitively pressed the SEND button and awaited our future. No response from Netflix at all.
Redbox agrees to provide better access for blind customers
Read the direct news article here
In a truly wonderful victory for blind and visually impaired entertainment lovers out there, Redbox has agreed, after a legal settlement, to make their kiosks accessible to the blind and the visually impaired by providing various features such as speech output, braille labels, and a dedicated accessibility customer service number. You can read the full story at the link below.
The community can call them and suggest improvements to their streaming service, as well. We plan to follow up with them regarding streaming titles very soon
Descriptive tracks in theaters released to the public. Opinion
It would be fabulous if all these new movies that are coming out in theaters with description like warm boddies and divergent would be provided with description on netflicks as well. Some studeos release the tracks and some don’t. It would be nice if we could also push the remaining studeos like Warner Brothers to release their tracks on dvd.
Team Member Spotlight, Rocco Fiorentino
Hello everyone, my name is Rocco Fiorentino. I was born in Philadelphia Pennsylvania, and became totally blind due to ROP (Retinopathy of Prematurity). I only have light perception now.
I’ve been playing piano and singing since I was 2 years old, and my love and passion for music has allowed me to play with and meet some incredible people throughout my life. I am 17 now, and attending Berklee College of Music in Boston MA in the fall of 2014. If you’re interested in checking out my music or learning more about me, please visit
I’ve also been a strong advocate for the blind and visually impaired community, which is why I joined the accessible Netflix Project. At the age of 5, I testified to the New Jersey State legislators to obtain more Braille services for blind and visually impaired children. I decided to do this because I realized that I couldn’t keep up with my sighted classmates because I was only receiving 1 hour of Braille per week, while my classmates were reading print every single day. As a result of my speech, the legislatures awarded $1.2 million to Braille education and services. I’m hoping to get the same positive advocacy results with this project. 🙂
My parents and I started a foundation when I was born, called the Little Rock Foundation, to provide services, programs, and resources to visually impaired or blind children and their families. We started a summer camp for these children, because most typical summer camps will not take a child who has a sight impairment because they are too high of a liability risk for the camp. We also have resource centers in Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia to provide information and assistance to parents and their children. For more about the foundation, feel free to visit
I am extremely excited to take on the task of getting Netflix programming to be audio-described. This is something which should have been available to the blind and visually impaired community a long time ago, and I’m ready to help the team in making it a reality.
Team member spotlight: Tanja Milojevic
My name is Tanja Milojevic and I was born in Serbia as a premature baby. I had retinal detachment as a result of the incubators and was diagnosed with retinopathy of prematurity. I then had several surgeries on both eyes to restore some vision which were partially successful. These surgeries took place in the United States.
I permanently came to live in the US at the age of five when I was diagnosed with open and close angled Glaucoma in both eyes. My medical visa helped me make a permanent home with my family near Boston where I began my main stream public education.
I went through some struggle with the school system through the years but I was mostly a dual learner, both visual and tactual which meant that I relied on both braille and extremely large print on a closed circuit television.
As the years went on, I brought more and more of my close family to the US where we continued to live. I learned English and Braille to a better degree and picked up technology like the PC and braille light. Math and the visual sciences game me trouble but my braille teachers assisted me enough so that I could get by with A’s and B’s My family was pushy for me to get good grades. I’m still like that today. I like to be almost perfect if not perfect.
High school rolled around and I continued to push through school and I continued to push through school. I met other peers who were blind and had some friends in the blind world and not so much in the sited world. I had trouble fitting in. I enjoyed my O&M instructors and learned more and more about traveling independently. I found colleges that interested me and did better in subjects like English and Psychology than Math and Physics. That lead me into getting a few scholarships from my school and brought me to the end of that four years. I took part in my choir from fourth grade and to the end of high school. I’d continue it for another two years in undergrad as well.
I then moved on to Simmons College where I enjoyed the disabilities’ department and was able to be a strong advocate for myself and other students who needed someone to talk to. I had begun to listen to described movies and radio dramas back in high school and only found new ways to do so in college. I began to successfully make my own radio dramas and post them to a website. Www.lightningbolt.podbean.com I called my show “Lightningbolt Theater of the Mind.” It was a good social networking place. I joined the school radio station and chorus, and moved from my dorm, to an apartment, and to home. I got my guide dog Wendell just before entering College. He is from the Seeing Eye and is a golden lab who is now eight. He has brown ears and yellow fur. He sheds a lot but is friendly and loves to lick and get belly rubs. I graduated with a BA in English and I minored in Radio communications and special education moderate disabilities.
I then moved on to UMass Boston where I am a graduate student currently working to get my license to be a teacher of the visually impaired. I have completed my course work and am now working on my state testing and then practicum before getting my MA. I am describing content that wasn’t available on descriptive such as the old doctor who episodes from the sixties. Those are not available to the public and I feel like they should be. I am using the series transcripts from on line to be able to know what’s going on and to then have the ability to put the descriptive track in the right place.
For technology, I use jaws, the IPhone, a braille note empower which I got after height school, and I am considering getting an iPad or a mac. I use a blue bird microphone and gold wave as my audio editing software. I’m also learning reaper.
I am an advocate, that is why I’m here. I enjoy seeing the law followed. Everyone else can access Netflix. The deaf and hard of hearing have the ability to watch closed captioning. Why can we not access the description that is mandated by the FCC each year? We are paying for a net flicks membership each month. It would only make sense for this to be the case. Network television is too confusion to try to figure out. I want to help change happen.
I am a panelist on a Google Hangout for web accessibility
People can submit questions ahead of time via the methods at the end of the post. Come join us as we talk about web accessibility!
Team member introduction: Dawn Jones
Dawn has officially joined our team because she’s very passionate about equal media rights and overall inclusion. Though she is hard of hearing her passion for advocacy spans across the spectrum! How could we say no to such an enthusiastic soul?
Here’s her message that she wanted to share with you all.
My name is Dawn. I am hard of hearing so I rely on subtitles to access video on demand services or any other form of audiovisual entertainment. I think it is important that no part of society is left out and so I am supporting this campaign to encourage video on demand services to improve their accessibility for all. If Netflix can provide subtitles, why can’t they also invest in audio description? Aside from it being the right thing to do, investing time and money to ensure a service is accessible makes business sense. Doing so allows greater reach for your services, and adds business value in the form of extra data and information about the video content that can be used by the business in creative ways to provide a richer experience for all customers.
I’m invited to be a panelist at the 2014 ACB convention!
Movies and recorded TV on the PS3 have audio description. Why can’t anyone else?
This is a neat feature that I found one day while fiddling with someone’s PlayStation 3. If you get a movie in the play station movie store or the PlayStation instant movie queue, one of the audio language tracks is the audio description track found on the DVD. If you’re legally blind and you have a PS3 and you know what DVD has audio description you can select that as an option on all PlayStation three systems. You have to purchase the on demand movie from the Sony store though, Hulu, Netflix, etc., won’t have the audio description.
NOTE: the track will not be called audio description. You have to cycle through all the English language tracks.
You can also watch described TV shows via the PS3 play TV. Apparently, it only works on RECORDED TV shows, not live TV shows. I’ve never used the application myself but a reader said it was possible.
If a video game system and distribution company can have audio described movies then why can’t Netflix and Hulu? Now I wish I had a PlayStation three of my own! Just a small audio description news tip for those visually impaired or legally blind who have a PlayStation 3. Thank you!
A way to watch TV with audio description using a TV Tuner Card
There is a product called TV Speak, by Code Factory, which allows you to access the SAP channel sound via your PC without a TV. User Sam Joehl has provided the following helpful information (September 2012):
The program is self-voicing so all functions of the interface speak and no screen reader is required within the application. Users can nonvisually turn on and off the secondary audio. The drawback that I have found with the current version of TVSpeak is that it appears to only work with NTSC tuner cards to receive over-the-air [OTA] broadcasts. It did not even detect my Ceton tuner card, so it was not a solution that worked for me. It is a solution that would work for users receiving OTA broadcasts
Blinky Chicks have joined the accessible netflix project!
Yay! We’re getting some blog mentions as well as radio interviews! We now have the support of the Blinky Chicks on this project. You can read their blog post and about the Blinky chicks by clicking the link below! Thank you gals, an accessible Netflix will happen!
http://blinkiechicks.wordpress.com/2013/08/08/the-accessible-netflix-project/
Interview with Media access Australia about accessible Netflix project
Hi everyone! In our first interview segment we’ve been interviewed by media access Australia. The interview was posted today and this is definitely a huge day for small celebrations! We’re getting recognized! And, as always, be sure to pass this cause around. Share it on Facebook, tweet it, and even send it via email, text our link, and share us! If you want to read the interview click the link below to go to the article on Media access Australia.
http://www.mediaaccess.org.au/latest_news/general/campaign-for-a-more-accessible-netflix
Interviews and new partners!
Today is a great day to be reporting an update! At least the sun is shining in Chicago so this helps to keep the mood fresh! The reason that we have not been posting any updates recently is because our project is starting to gain some attention, and it is by the fellow media as well as other people and even organizations!
The BBC as well as Media Access Australia has sent me an email asking for an interview. Of course, I happily abided to the request. The links will be posted as they are sent to me. Until then, well, we have something else to report as a whole.
We are beginning to collaborate with some very important people within the blindness community. We do not want to let the cat out of the bag, as we are developing a more concrete strategy and moving forward on the same page. This is very important so that confusion does not scour and so we do not confuse anybody else by having someone saying something and having someone else says something else. So, overall, this new partnership is happening as of now, and more details will be released soon, including our plans and strategies. For now though, we do not want to let the cat out of the bag before we point the cat in the right direction.
While you are waiting though you can definitely help us out by providing feedback about Netflix. The more feedback that we receive the easier our campaign becomes.
How you can help us
There’s actually a lot of different ways that you can help us with this project.
1. Make a donation to help our cause.
2. Leave us a voicemail or fax at 253-780-9696
3. Fill out our Netflix accessibility feedback form (NOTE: your responses will be kept for future use.)
4. Send an email to us. You may attach audio files as well
5. Leave us a voicemail using your microphone
6. Help to legislate audio description and captioning in all U.S. cinemas
The Accessible Digital Project 