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Re: Evaluation: Accessible Interface to YouTube

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From: Thomas Jolliffe
Date: Apr 29, 2009 2:20PM

There aren't any frames, and it sounds like you have Flash installed already
(indeed, you must do if you use YouTube). Fairly sure it's not an Apple
issue, I'm primarily a Mac user myself, and I've just checked it in Safari
to make sure I hadn't missed any compatibility issues.

The bit you're probably looking for is the search box - currently, the only
way to get to videos is by searching, as much because it's more a
proof-of-concept site for my university work as anything else (or example,
you'll probably notice that things like comments and related videos are
limited to a maximum 25 results). The search box is actually at the top of
the page, perhaps not the smartest position for it on the home page, but
that's where it is. Stick something in the text input, hit the search button
and you should be away.

Like I said above, it's as much a proof-of-concept as it is a long-term
project. However, if there is demand for it, I'm happy to do further
development in the future.


On 29/04/2009 21:10, "Randi" < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:

> Hi Tom,
>
> I am newly blind and new to screenreaders. I am using a macbook with
> Leopard, and running Safari using Voiceover, the Apple screenreader. I
> went to the accessible youtube page but there were no videos or
> anything. It has your little intro and then nothing, so I couldn't
> test any videos or anything. Is this something with the development of
> the page? IE: Are tere frames I need to navigate to? Or do youthink
> its to do with the Apple? I don't actually know if I have Adobe
> installed, but I don't think I do. Just wanted to let you know that on
> the Apple end. Apple isn't widely known about omong blind and visually
> impaired users, but its growing like wildfire. If there's something I
> can do on my end to check it out, please let me know. I use youtube
> all the time, but the inability to control the videos is quite
> frustrating. Keep up the great work on that front!
>
> Good luck,
> Randi
>
> On 4/29/09, David Andrews < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
>> You name Home Page Reader as a screen reader in your survey. It was
>> discontinued years ago, and wouldn't support ARIA, I would ask about
>> "system Access" a low-cost screen reader attaining some popularity.
>>
>> At 02:08 PM 4/29/2009, you wrote:
>>> Hello all,
>>>
>>> I can't claim to be a long-term subscriber, but I'd appreciate a favour if
>>> possible. I'm a final-year Computer Science student at Newcastle University
>>> and for my dissertation I've been investigating the effect which what we
>>> call "Web 2.0" has had on accessibility.
>>>
>>> As part of this investigation, I've implemented what I think are some good
>>> practices, and to demonstrate a number of them working together I've
>>> created
>>> a somewhat simplified interface for YouTube, which you can find at
>>> http://tube.majestyc.net/. It makes use of technologies such as JavaScript,
>>> in line with what we can reasonably expect on the web nowadays, but also of
>>> things like WAI-ARIA live regions to aid the use of such dynamic scripting.
>>> Similarly, the video player uses a Flash object, but controlled by
>>> JavaScript firing from standard HTML buttons, instead of using buttons
>>> integrated into the Flash object itself.
>>>
>>> In order to evaluate what real-world users think, I've set up an online
>>> questionnaire, available at the horrible address of
>>> http://www.surveygizmo.com/s/128706/accessible-youtube, and via TinyURL at
>>> http://tinyurl.com/aiyt-eval. It's built using the website Survey Gizmo
>>> and,
>>> while it's not exactly perfect from an accessibility perspective, it's a
>>> pretty clean page and after a quick run-through myself with JAWS I didn't
>>> find too many glaring problems. I'd have liked to have built a system
>>> myself, but unfortunately simply haven't had time.
>>>
>>> Some people have questioned my use of YouTube, given that many of the
>>> site's
>>> intended audience will have visual impairments. However, not only is it a
>>> good demonstration of multimedia on the web, I don't think we shouldn't
>>> dismiss a video site outright. So many users are partially sighted, and the
>>> impact of YouTube across the web - and, arguably, society - has been
>>> enormous. And, let's not forget, it provides audio as well as video.
>>>
>>> Many thanks in anticipation of your responses, every single one is greatly
>>> appreciated. I am running somewhat behind schedule, so I'm looking to
>>> gather
>>> as many responses as possible in the next few days. If anyone knows of a
>>> good place to post this, let me know, or feel free to simply quote this
>>> message.
>>>
>>> There's a link on the 'Thanks' page to email me if you'd like to see an
>>> electronic copy of my dissertation when it's finished, but anyone
>>> (questionnaire or no questionnaire) is welcome to email me directly and
>>> I'll
>>> add you to the list.
>>>
>>> Once again, you can find the site at http://tube.majestyc.net/ and the
>>> questionnaire at http://www.surveygizmo.com/s/128706/accessible-youtube
>>> (or,
>>> if you trust a TinyURL link, at http://tinyurl.com/aiyt-eval).
>>>
>>> Thanks for reading,
>>> Tom
>>>
>>>