Thread Subject: Re: revision of 24(e)

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From: Karen Peltz Strauss
Date: Wed, Jan 03 2007 10:10 AM

I think that the language is mixing apples and oranges: the system and the
content. The proposed language ("The system shall provide a method for
turning closed captions or closed audio descriptions on and off unless
captions or descriptions are
permanently visible or audible to everyone.") suggests that systems do not
need to be capable of allowing users to turn on and off closed captions and
audio descriptions if the captions or descriptions are intended to be
available to everyone. But the very definition of "closed" captions is that
they be capable of being turned on and off by the user. And to the best of
my knowledge, there is no term "closed audio descriptions."

The bottom line is that viewers must always be able to turn on and off
closed captions or audio descriptions that are not intended to be heard by
everyone. Qualifying this with the phrase "unless captions or descriptions
are permanently visable or audible to everyone" confuses the ability to
adjust these features on an audio/video product with the decision of an
author or producer to incorporate these access features permanently into the
content of the programming. The point here is that the producer or
programmer that supplies those access features have nothing to do with the
system transmitting and displaying these features.

Also, I am a little concerned about using the word "system" unless we have
defined that term. Should we use products instead? Finally, while the
original 24(e) talks about the user being able to make the selection, the
above language does not, and leaves open the possibility that the method for
turning on and off captions will be controlled by an external source. It
is very important to keep this in the hands of the user.

I propose the following, which is simple and gets to the point, even if it
is 2 sentences:

The product shall provide a method for the user to turn closed captions or
audio descriptions on and off. This shall not be necessary in the event
that the captions or descriptions are permanently visible or audible to
everyone.

Karen




----- Original Message -----
From: "Hoffman, Allen" < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
To: "TEITAC Audio/Video Subcommittee" < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
Sent: Wednesday, January 03, 2007 11:33 AM
Subject: Re: [teitac-video] revision of 24(e)


>I like this one.
>
>
>
> Allen hoffman -- 202-447-0303
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
> [mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On Behalf Of Whitney
> Quesenbery
> Sent: Wednesday, January 03, 2007 11:31 AM
> To: TEITAC Audio/Video Subcommittee
> Subject: Re: [teitac-video] revision of 24(e)
>
> How about active voice:
>
> The system shall provide a method for turning closed captions or closed
> audio descriptions on and off unless captions or descriptions are
> permanently visible or audible to everyone.
>
> At 10:37 AM 1/3/2007, Andrew Kirkpatrick wrote:
>>Or how about:
>>A method for turning closed captions or closed audio descriptions on
>>and off shall be provided unless captions or descriptions are meant by
>>the author to be permanently visible or audible to everyone.
>>
>>AWK
>
>
> Whitney Quesenbery
> Whitney Interactive Design
> = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
> phone: 908-638-5467
> mobile: 908-328-5959
> www.WQusability.com
> www.usabilityprofessionals.org
>
> "Warning: Objects in the calendar are closer than they appear."
>
>

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