Thread Subject: teitac-video immersive environments

From: Jasionowski, Tony
Date: Tue, Jun 26 2007 4:25 PM

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Kate,
At this stage of our process I do not think that our AV subcommittee can
realistically tackle such "immersive environments" considering the other
work we have remaining. Possibly one of the other subcommittees might
have interest in tackling "immersive environments".
Thanks.

Tony Jasionowski
Panasonic
AV Co-Chair
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2007 14:20:06 -0400
From: "Walser, Kate" < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
Subject: Re: [teitac-video]
[teitac-general][teitac-websoftware]Accessibility of Second
Life and
related applications
To: "TEITAC General Interface Accessibility Subcommittee"
< = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >, "TEITAC Web/Software
Subcommittee"
< = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >, "TEITAC Audio/Video
Subcommittee" < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
Message-ID: < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

David Poehlman wrote:
These environments are not accessible and should not be used by any
federal agency or others bound by 508.

Kate replies:
David, I agree that they do not meet Section 508 as is. I wonder if
there are ways to make the underlying data accessible or ways for us to
ensure there are standards that address this type of technology moving
forward, to help promote accessibility. To date, we didn't stop looking
at or considering the use of technologies just because they weren't
accessible at the time, but rather looked to see whether we could make
the underlying data accessible somehow and ultimately provide an
accessible format.

Since sending my original note, I've learned that there is now a version
that has audio capabilities - I'm not certain whether it just tells the
user what is happening or enables speech input as well. Still checking.

I've added the video subcommittee to the distribution list as well -
accidentally left them off original send.

Cheers,
Kate
-----Original Message-----
From: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
[mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On Behalf Of David
Poehlman
Sent: Monday, June 25, 2007 11:44 AM
To: TEITAC General Interface Accessibility Subcommittee; TEITAC
Web/Software Subcommittee
Subject: Re:
[teitac-general][teitac-video][teitac-websoftware]Accessibility ofSecond
Lifeand related applications

These environments are not accessible and should not be used by any
federal
agency or others bound by 508.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Walser, Kate" < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
To: "TEITAC Web/Software Subcommittee"
< = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >;
"TEITAC General Interface Accessibility Subcommittee"
< = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
Sent: Monday, June 25, 2007 11:08 AM
Subject: [teitac-general]
[teitac-video][teitac-websoftware]Accessibility
ofSecond Life and related applications


All,



The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, National Institutes of
Health, National Library of Medicine, Library of Congress, National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency, and about 10 others government agencies
now use Second Life (http://www.lindenlabs.com
<http://www.lindenlabs.com/> )

for various functions including training simulations and public
outreach. Second Life is a sort of immersive environment in which you
move your avatar around and communicate with other avatars. You can buy
and sell services and goods, attend presentations, sit in forums, etc.
A group - Real Life Government in Second Life - has even sprung up to
enable these agencies to discuss and share ideas about using Second
Life. Use of Second Life and other immersive experiences may expand in
coming years for education and training, collaboration, and information
retrieval. The Real Life Government in Second Life group has raised
questions about Section 508 from what I understand.



In talking with some folks across the subcommittees, it doesn't sound
like any of us have discussed the accessibility of these immersive
environments or networked virtual environments. (There are others
besides Second Life) Not an easy beast to tackle, let alone in time for
June/July deadlines, but an area we should at least discuss and explore.



I can set up a discussion with some of our SRA folks who work with the
Real Life Government in Second Life group (and potentially with some of
that group's members) but have hesitated as any demonstrations of the
Second Life environment would not be accessible.



Is there interest in exploring this through at least a discussion with
folks who have been working with the agencies and have insight into how
they're using Second Life? And if so, please think about which
subcommittee we should have take the ball on this one - general, video,
web-software?



Cheers,

Kate





Kate Walser

Director, Usability Center of Excellence

SRA International, Inc.

4300 Fair Lakes Court

Fairfax, VA 22033

(703) 502-1170

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