[accessibleimage] Jody Awards - accessible museum

Hi,
An article about the short list for the Jody Awards. The Awards celebrate the most accessible museum, library and archive web sites. One about an artist and an article from Maine - a bit about tactile signage.
Regards,
Lisa



links

http://www.pal-item.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060329/NEWS01/603290306/1008

http://www.managinginformation.com/news/content_show_full.php?id=4769

MLA and Jody Awards

http://www.mla.gov.uk/webdav/harmonise?Page/@id=73&Document/@id=23090&Section[@stateId_eq_left_hand_root]/@id=4302

http://business.mainetoday.com/newsdirect/release.html?id=2860

Article

Artist demonstrates blind ambition

Palladium-Item

Richmond artist Joyce Wittenauer-Acton, who is legally blind, demonstrated her painting talents Tuesday at the Independent Living Center of Eastern Indiana, 201 S. Fifth St. in Richmond.

Wittenauer-Acton, who works in acrylics on canvas, began painting in 2002 while attending a program for the adult blind in Jacksonville, Fla., where she won a scholarship.

Wittenauer-Acton's appearance Tuesday at the Independent Living Center is part of the organization's celebration of March as Disability Awareness Month.

Also as part of the celebration, Wittenauer-Acton has donated a print to the center and it is being sold in a silent auction. Bidding ends Friday and the winning bid will be announced April

article


Strong Shortlist For Jodi Awards 2006

The shortlist for the Jodi Awards 2006 for excellence in museum, gallery, library, archive and heritage web accessibility excellence is announced today.

Six websites have been shortlisted by an experienced panel of judges. Marcus Weisen, the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council’s Health and Disability Adviser, and Chair of the panel of judges said: “This is the third year for these awards and they are going from strength to strength. All nominations this year met high technical web accessibility standards. It is a sign that museums, libraries and archives are developing ambitious targets and playing an active part nationally in meeting e-government targets for web accessibility.”

The Museums, Libraries and Archives Council’s (MLA) report Accessibility of museum, library and archive websites: the MLA audit highlighted the need to keep improving web accessibility in the sector. The awards are developed and sustained by MLA, 24 Hour Museum and the British Museum. This year for the first time the awards have been extended to welcome entries from Wales, in partnership with CyMAL (Museums, Libraries and Archives Wales).

To select the winners, the judges will be looking for high performance in a number of areas, including user involvement in website development, the organisation’s commitment to access for disabled people and innovative ways of making online collections accessible to disabled people. In making their choices, the judges will benefit from findings of user testing which will involve blind, partially-sighted, dyslexic and deaf users.

The winners of the Jodi Awards 2006 two categories - the “Excellence “ and “Excellence with low budgets” - will be announced on 5 April 2006 at a high profile event at the British Museum in the presence of Neil MacGregor, Director, the British Museum and Mark Wood, MLA Chairman.

The Jodi Awards 2006 shortlist is:

Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery; www.bmag.org.uk

This site has a very clear lay-out, is easy to use, with sharp images and a “text enriched” version as an alternative to the Flash kids website.

The Portable Antiquities Scheme, www.finds.org.uk

A site with a clear structure, well labelled links, good explanatory text and truly sharp images of Roman coins which can be magnified.

i-Map: The Everyday Transformed, Tate Modern; www.tate.org.uk/imap/imap2

A site that sets itself the challenge to make modern art accessible to blind and partially sighted people and uses animation to do so.

Their Reading Futures; The Reading Agency, www.theirreadingfutures.org.uk

This web learning resource for public libraries performed best in automated accessibility testing. Excellent use of accessibility technology and accessibility information.

The History of Wolverhampton; Wolverhampton Arts and Museums Service, Wolverhampton Archives and Wolverhampton Local Studies; www.wolverhamptonhistory.org.uk

This site has a simple and clear design and is pleasant to use. Site design was tuned as a result of comments by disabled users.

Speaking Volumes, Wakefield Library and Information Service; www.speakingvolumesonline.org.uk

This website was built to allow readers write content. Blind and partially sighted users chat about their favourite books and audio-book readers.

A feature detailing the shortlisted sites can be viewed on the 24 Hour Museum website at: http://www.24hourmuseum.org.uk/nwh_gfx_en/ART35390.html

Sponsorship for the Jodi Awards 2006 is provided by Simulacra, www.simulacra.com, the new media consultancy offering award-winning web-based information management solutions.

The report of the MLA web accessibility audit (2005) and further information on the annual Jodi Awards are available on http://www.mla.gov.uk/website/policy/Diversity/Web_Accessibility

article

IRIS NETWORK OPENS DOORS FOR MAINE’S FIRST HOUSING FOR VISUALLY IMPAIRED AND BLIND

Portland, ME: The Iris Network, Maine’s only non-profit organization as a statewide resource for people who are visually impaired or blind to attain their determined level of independence and integration into the community, opened Phase I of Iris Park Apartments, designed specifically for people who are visually impaired or blind. Iris Park Apartments are being developed on the Park Avenue campus of the Iris Network in Portland.

The Iris Park Apartments is the first of its kind in Maine, and only the second of its kind in the United States. Modifications include tactile signage and texture changes for those who are totally blind; and walls and flooring with high amounts of contrast, along with variable lighting fixtures to assist people with limited or low vision. In addition, the Iris Network will provide vision-related services to Iris Park residents, including assistance with transportation and reading mail.

Phase I of this project includes 16 one-bedroom apartments that are being occupied by the Iris Network’s current Residents of its Boarding Home. Phase II will develop an additional 14 one and two-bedroom apartments for members of the community who are visually impaired or blind. The entire project is slated for completion in early November of this year.

“There are so many people who are visually impaired and blind who do not get the chance to live independently,” says Randy Bellavance, current and future resident. “I am glad that the Iris Park Apartments will be opening many doors for me and others.”

The project was approved by the Maine State Housing Authority for Low Income Housing Tax Credits. The development team includes The Iris Network, Benchmark Construction, the Northern New England Housing Investment Fund, Curtis Thaxter Stevens Broder & Micoleau LLC, MacDonald Page Schatz Fletcher CPA’s, TD Banknorth, Maine Bank and Trust, Semple and Drane Architects, Avesta Housing Development Corporation, and Avesta Housing Management Corporation.

Celebrating 100 years of service, The Iris Network is the only independent non-profit agency devoted to services and advocacy for Maine’s visually impaired and blind residents.


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