Re: text equivalents for multimedia

I really think after two years WAI and EO could be more proactive.
Web accessibility for cognitive disabilities has a way to go.

Providing a service for industry is great, but if we wish people to believe
our good intentions are more than just that, we need to publish some
evidence.

Anne's project is one of many that needs supporting.
I have been wanting to publish a weekly newsletter for about 18 months.
It is dauntingly difficult, if the clients are to create the product.

I responded to a recent research request via the WAI lists, this was their
response:

The next generation of **** ****  Reader will address the requirements of
blind and visually impaired users.  At this time it will not address the
needs of cognitive impaired users.  You may wish to contact Judy Brewer of
the W3C to start a
discussion on web requirements for your audience.

jay@peepo.com

Jonathan Chetwynd
special needs teacher and
web accessibility consultant.
----- Original Message -----
From: Al Gilman <asgilman@iamdigex.net>
To: Anne Pemberton <apembert@crosslink.net>
Cc: <w3c-wai-gl@w3.org>
Sent: Thursday, March 02, 2000 1:58 PM
Subject: Re: text equivalents for multimedia


> Anne,
>
> We have ideas about what you should do, but they are largely untested.  I
> hope people can step back a bit and say, "What can we do with this site?"
> in a positive vein.
>
> Links to a static display of the words for the song is one thing.
>
> It is also possible to play the words on the screen as captions in time
> with the music.  Using the SMIL format and the Real Networks G2 player
that
> would play.
>
> WGBH has a tool under development (beta versions are available) which
helps
> in creating the caption tracks.
>
> If this is a bit daunting we should maybe recruit in EO for volunteers to
> help you with the captioning of the material.
>
> This stuff is not widely deployed.  There is some at the Able channel.  So
> this is not stuff "obviously you should be doing now."  But perhaps by
> using the network we can get you help to make your site a
> leading-technology example and we can point others at it.  It would be
> great to do it with something the kids put up of their own singing.
>
> Al
>
> At 12:21 PM 2000-03-01 -0500, you wrote:
> >Wendy,
> > Excuse my denseness. We just got an Internet site last week for the
school
> >I work at. I've known it was coming, and have had bursts of ideas on the
> >brain for weeks now. One was inspired by finding a site: Famous
Americans:
> >Pictures and music by Mrs. Eberle's 2nd grade class (Washington,
Jefferson,
> >Lincoln, Tubmam, Anthony, King)
> >http://www.ih.k12.oh.us/ps/americana/Eberle/EBsongs.htm
> >on which 2nd graders sing songs about each of the pictured history
people.
> >There is no text other than the names under the pictures which serve as
> >links to the music. (I would have loved to have found the words to some
of
> >the songs, but I figured it was more than the kids could handle and the
> >teacher saved some for another year...
> > Anyway, one of my first grade classes, weekly practices "He's Got the
> >Whole World In His Hands" until we get a mic in the new lab so they can
> >begin to record and edit the piece.
> >
> > If I am to exemplify "accessibility" to other elementary teachers making
> >web pages in their classses, is it enough that I add a text to the page
or
> >to a link to page of the words? Do I need to include a copy of the
musical
> >notation? Would I be required to obtain a copyright to include the
musical
> >notation if that's necessary or usable to the hearing impaired (e.g.)?
> >
> > The website is "free" educational website for schools under the name of
> >Family Education. I get to the site at: http://myschool.com
> >I attended the training last week, and noted, tho the presenters were
both
> >from Boston, and my ears have been long-trained to the slower pace of
> >southern speakers, I don't think I heard any mention of accessibility,
tho
> >the trainers said we could only put one graphic on per page, I found out
> >over the weekend, that I could put a page of graphics (about 12), with a
> >background, as long as I store the graphics and background on an off-site
> >server ... and I'm anxious to put up a web page with sound on it.... But
I
> >do want to do it right. But what is right? I try to read up on and and
end
> >up confused.... Again excuse my denseness.....
> >
> > Anne
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >At 01:10 PM 2/23/2000 -0500, Wendy A Chisholm wrote:
> >>hello,
> >>
> >>In the general techniques document in the section on audio and video it
> says:
> >><blockquote>
> >>Equivalents for sounds can be provided in the form of a text phrase on
the
> >>page that links to a text transcript or description of the sound file.
The
> >>link to the transcript should appear in a highly visible location such
as
> >>at the top of the page. However, if a script is automatically loading a
> >>sound, it should also be able to automatically load a visual indication
> >>that the sound is currently being played and provide a description or
> >>transcript of the sound.
> >></blockquote>
> >>
> >>This implies that the text equivalent of a multimedia clip can *only*
> >>appear on a separate page.  What if someone provides in on the same
> >>page?  This question has come up in ER as we are trying to determine
what
> >>to ask the author if we find multimedia on a page.
> >>
>
> >>I thought we had discussed this already on this list, but I did not see
> any
> >>mention of it in the archives nor in minutes.  Either I missed it or I'm
> >>thinking of an ER thread.
> >>
> >>--wendy
> >>--
> >>wendy a chisholm
> >>world wide web consortium
> >>web accessibility initiative
> >>madison, wi usa
> >>tel: +1 608 663 6346
> >>/--
> >>
> >>
> >Anne L. Pemberton
> >http://www.pen.k12.va.us/Pav/Academy1
> >http://www.erols.com/stevepem/Homeschooling
> >apembert@crosslink.net
> >Enabling Support Foundation
> >http://www.enabling.org
> >
>
>

Received on Thursday, 2 March 2000 12:36:37 UTC