[blindkid] Described Videos

Wed Jun 1 19:41:02 UTC 2011

how does this fit in with the touch screens of grocery stores, banks, and all that now is touch screen, if at all it does. Just curious how that will change to be accessible to all.

-----Original Message-----
From: Richard Holloway <rholloway at gopbc.org>
To: NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children) <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wed, Jun 1, 2011 2:43 pm
Subject: Re: [blindkid] Described Videos

Since some concerns came up about the way blind people can access DVS and 
similar services I though this might be of interest--

The 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act has reinstated 
regulations which are going to compel the top broadcast and cable networks to 
offer more and increasing amounts of DVS programming starting this year (2011) 
and ramping up for the next 10 years.

According to S.3304,  that act, which was signed into law late in 2010 and which 
takes effect one year later (hence, this fall):

Interfaces on devices like TV's, DVD's, Computers providing certain internet 
services and the like which provide accessible services shall...

"be designed, developed, and fabricated so that control of appropriate built-in 
apparatus functions are accessible to and usable by individuals who are blind or 
visually impaired"

also:

"if on-screen text menus or other visual indicators built in to the digital 
apparatus are used to access the functions of the apparatus described in 
paragraph (1), such functions shall be accompanied by audio output that is 
either integrated or peripheral to the apparatus, so that such menus or 
indicators are accessible to and usable by individuals who are blind or visually 
impaired in real-time"

You can read all about this on the COAT site:

http://www.coataccess.org/node/9776

It seems to be a rather slow process, but there clearly is a trend in the right 
direction at this point with DVS. I say that any improvement is better than 
nothing. Besides, a number of networks are already doing some of this without 
the requirements in place. Likewise, companies such as Pixar have started adding 
a LOT more described DVD's without any apparent legal requirement facing them at 
all.

In my personal DVS quest, I ran across another episode of Dora on TV with 
description this morning and we have Toy Story 3 lined up with DVS for tonight's 
entertainment on DVD! 

Also, I realized that I had confused some information on DVS from TNT with info 
about TCM (Turner Network Television, vs. Turner Classic Movies). There seems to 
be a list of about 140 or so titles which when shown on TCM are sent with DVS 
available. That's great, but apart from Wizard of Oz and maybe a couple of 
others, I suspect most of those will be mainly of interest to primarily blind 
adults. I do understand that TNT has shown some films with DVS as well. 

One other strange note. TBS (another Turner station) has information posted on 
their web site that they do not offer DVS programming at this time, however I 
watched part of Blue Streak with DVS on their station about two days ago. What 
it comes down to is the way to see what is really playing is to go to the 
stations and actually listen to alternative audio tracks. So far I have only 
found these under "Spanish", but check whatever options come up and see if DVS 
is present! 

As this law kicks in, I think we'll begin to find a lot more DVS showing up in 
all sorts of places...
_______________________________________________
blindkid mailing list
blindkid at nfbnet.org
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindkid_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindkid:
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindkid_nfbnet.org/hpscheffer%40aol.com