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Re: Evaluation: Accessible Interface to YouTube

for

From: David Andrews
Date: Apr 29, 2009 2:30PM


You put in a search term, and it will come up with a list of videos for you.

Dave

At 03:10 PM 4/29/2009, you 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
> >>
> >>