Thanks Lynn for sharing this good news.
I just wanted to ask a related question: I had heard that there was an I-device
app which allowed a person who was blind to go into a commercial theater, and
have the app provide you with the described video for the movie which was
playing there. Does anyone know about this, and what I need to do to get such
an app?
Thanks.
Chip
From: tabi-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:tabi-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of ;
Lynn Evans
Sent: Friday, April 15, 2016 2:51 AM
To: tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [tabi] Fwd: [aw-announcements] Great message from Sharon Lovering
Sent from my iPad
Begin forwarded message:
From: "Robert Acosta" <boacosta@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: April 14, 2016 at 11:12:44 AM EDT
To: aw-announcements@xxxxxxxxx
Subject: [aw-announcements] Great message from Sharon Lovering
Reply-To: aw-announcements@xxxxxxxxx
From: Sharon Lovering via leadership [mailto:leadership@xxxxxxxxxxxx] ;
Sent: Thursday, April 14, 2016 6:11 AM
To: leadership@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [leadership] Netflix press release
Netflix to Enhance Access for Customers Who Are Blind
In a first-of-its-kind settlement, advocates for people who are blind have
reached an agreement with Netflix to make accessible the movies and videos
offered through the Netflix video streaming and DVD rental subscriptions. The
settlement provides that Netflix will make its video content accessible by
adding a new technology called “audio description” as a feature that blind
customers can activate so they can more fully understand and enjoy the movie
and video experience.
The settlement was reached between Netflix and the American Council of the
Blind (ACB). The Massachusetts-based Bay State Council of the Blind (BSCB) and
Robert Baran, an individual who is blind, were also parties to the settlement.
These blind advocacy organizations and Mr. Baran were represented by Disability
Rights Advocates (DRA), a national non-profit legal center.
Netflix provides one of the nation’s most popular online streaming and DVD
rental services, offering convenient and affordable video entertainment,
including original content, to millions of Americans.
Under the agreement, Netflix will provide audio description for many popular
titles in its streaming and disc rental libraries. Audio description technology
lets blind people know what is happening in scenes without dialogue or scenes
with significant visual elements via an audio description track that contains
narration of the visual elements that is synchronized with the show or movie.
Television and movie studios will create the audio description tracks and
provide them to Netflix. Without audio description, blind individuals do not
know what is happening in scenes without dialogue and can misinterpret the
meaning of other scenes. Under the settlement, Netflix will also provide audio
description for the “Netflix Original” shows that Netflix has begun
distributing such as “House of Cards” and “Orange is the New Black.”
Under the agreement, Netflix will also make its website and mobile applications
accessible to individuals who are blind and use screen-reading software to
navigate websites and apps. Screen-reading software is an interface between
people who are blind or low vision and computers and/or mobile applications.
The software creates an audio version of text and images that appear on a
screen that it reads aloud to a user. The user then controls the computer or
mobile device by pressing keys or tapping on a mobile application. With the
changes Netflix is making, users who are blind or low vision will be able to
independently use the Netflix website and mobile applications.
This agreement is the first-of-its-kind to provide screen-reader and audio
access to users who are blind or low vision. These improvements will provide
people who are blind or low vision with unparalleled access to online video
entertainment services currently enjoyed by millions of Americans. Millions of
Americans identify as having a visual disability.
Kim Charlson, President of the American Council of the Blind, commented, “We
applaud Netflix for working with us to enhance access to its services for
people who are blind. Our goal is to expand the availability of Netflix’s
services to the blind community and to increase the availability of audio
described film and television programming. Movies and television are a central
pillar of American culture. As television and movies are increasingly delivered
through streaming and home delivery services, ensuring that the blind community
receives access to this content is critical to ensure that people who are blind
are integrated into modern society.”
Attorney Rebecca Williford of Disability Rights Advocates explains, “This is a
great example of technology promoting greater accessibility and inclusiveness
for people with disabilities. We hope that the outcome of our collaboration
with Netflix will serve as a model for others in the online video entertainment
industry.”
A copy of the settlement agreement is available at
<http://mandrillapp.com/track/click/30489975/www.dralegal.org?p=eyJzIjoiZ2QzalRaOGtCQXdLN01rSzhMZUliNlZVZVg4IiwidiI6MSwicCI6IntcInVcIjozMDQ4OTk3NSxcInZcIjoxLFwidXJsXCI6XCJodHRwOlxcXC9cXFwvd3d3LmRyYWxlZ2FsLm9yZ1wiLFwiaWRcIjpcImI4YjQ0YjU0MzcyYzQ3MDRiZGNmMmRlMDE1NzM3NDhmXCIsXCJ1cmxfaWRzXCI6W1wiNTE1NGU2ZDRkNDc5NzJkN2RlZTI4MjA0NzYwMDVjOWU2N2Y5ZDE0MFwiXX0ifQ>
www.dralegal.org.
Sharon Lovering, Editor
American Council of the Blind
1703 N. Beauregard St., Suite 420
Alexandria, VA 22311
slovering@xxxxxxx
Learn more about us at
<http://mandrillapp.com/track/click/30489975/www.acb.org?p=eyJzIjoibGsyZkhNTHYxcnhXYlE3NmFZNU5idWI5SGZnIiwidiI6MSwicCI6IntcInVcIjozMDQ4OTk3NSxcInZcIjoxLFwidXJsXCI6XCJodHRwOlxcXC9cXFwvd3d3LmFjYi5vcmdcXFwvXCIsXCJpZFwiOlwiYjhiNDRiNTQzNzJjNDcwNGJkY2YyZGUwMTU3Mzc0OGZcIixcInVybF9pZHNcIjpbXCJlZWExMjZhZWNjYjIxNGI0NmM4NDdmMDdjMjNhNGE2M2Q4ZThkYTRkXCJdfSJ9>
www.acb.org
Follow us on Twitter at @acbnational
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AmericanCounciloftheBlindOfficial
<http://mandrillapp.com/track/click/30489975/www.facebook.com?p=eyJzIjoia2VJRjJfN3U1bzFJUFZuMmdDaklXMW5QSzk0IiwidiI6MSwicCI6IntcInVcIjozMDQ4OTk3NSxcInZcIjoxLFwidXJsXCI6XCJodHRwOlxcXC9cXFwvd3d3LmZhY2Vib29rLmNvbVxcXC9BbWVyaWNhbkNvdW5jaWxvZnRoZUJsaW5kT2ZmaWNpYWxcIixcImlkXCI6XCJiOGI0NGI1NDM3MmM0NzA0YmRjZjJkZTAxNTczNzQ4ZlwiLFwidXJsX2lkc1wiOltcIjBmZjE0YzZkZDIyNzY4MzY0ZmI5MWZmOWRlZTcwMDczN2I2MjE0MDhcIl19In0>
<image001.gif><image001.gif>
Robert Acosta, President
Helping Hands for the Blind
(818) 998-0044
www.helpinghands4theblind.org
_._,_._,_
_____
Accessible World Team
http://accessibleworld.org
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