Re: AOL drops e-mail address for accessibility

Very true.  there is a reason why organizations decide to embed streams
rather than deliver media using a stand alone media application.  Many
difficult
to use software packages that have the combined functionality of different
software programs built into them.  However, when the different programs
are installed separately and used as stand alone applications, they can be
used for the most part successfully and easily by a screen reader user.  All
of the benefits are available from the first program, the disabled end user
just uses the applications differently.

Media players are different though.  They are not like anti-virus programs
bundled with spyware and system utility programs.  Offering media players in
a different but accessible version certainly makes the technology accessible
but, unlike the programs mentioned earlier, does not mean that the user with
a disability can receive the same benefit as the nondisabled user.  The
content provider, in this instance, the Infinity Broadcasting unit of Viacom
International Inc., may have clear business reasons why it only wishes to
embed the stream rather than deliver it to a stand alone player.  it may not
be possible to listen to some audio streams using stand alone software so
embedded players should be accessible in the event a stand alone player
cannot be used.

With media players, simply offering a stand alone solution only focuses on
access to the technology itself and not the benefits realized or results
achieved with the technology.  Obviously people with disabilities use
technology not to have access but to realize a certain benefit or to achieve
a certain result, just like users in general.

Kelly


----- Original Message -----
From: "David Woolley" <david@djwhome.demon.co.uk>
To: <w3c-wai-ig@w3.org>
Sent: Saturday, March 27, 2004 2:45 AM
Subject: Re: AOL drops e-mail address for accessibility


>
> > **I have not heard from AOL if WXRT radio can be listened to using its
stand
> > alone player so I don't know if this is an actual possibility.  I could
>
> Based on another streaming media radio site, I think that many
organisations
> providing these don't want you to be able to get at the underlying URL
> which would allow you to open the site in a standalone player.  This might
> be a combination of ignorance and the liking for "designed" sites, but it
> may well also be because the streaming media is a loss leader to get you
> to the advertising on the embedding page.
>
> On the one I am thinking about, they intercept attempts to get at the
media
> player controls, so, if you don't turn off scripting, you can't get a
> full screen display.
>
>

Received on Saturday, 27 March 2004 11:58:06 UTC