Accessible Streaming Content
From: New Architect - August 2002 - page 34
By: Andrew Kirkpatrick

Few content providers intentionally ignore the 12 million blind or visually
impaired, and the 24 million deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals in the
United States. However, developers' lack of knowledge, plus the technical
obstacles of creating and delivering accessible streaming content, commonly
result in disappointing experiences for disabled users. 

Accessibility of streaming content for people with disabilities is often not
part of the spec for multimedia projects, but it certainly affects your
quality of service. Most of the resources available on Web accessibility deal
with HTML. Fortunately, rich media and streaming content developers have a
growing number of experts to turn to for information and assistance. 

The essentials of providing accessible streaming content are simple: Blind
and visually impaired people need audio to discern important visual detail
and interface elements, while deaf and hard-of-hearing people need text to
access sound effects and dialog. Actually implementing these principles is
quite a challenge, though. 

Headings:
Motivating Factors
Making Content Accessible
Audio descriptions 
Captions
Caption Tools And Strategies
Additional Benefits of Captions
Audio Descriptions
Audio Description Tools And Strategies
Additional Benefits of Audio Descriptions
What's Next?

Read the entire article at:
http://www.newarchitectmag.com/documents/s=2452/na0802d/index.html