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Making Accessible Media

Proposal No: 2633

Bios & Handouts

Speaker(s)

  • Robert Pearson, Accessibility Officer, Accessible Media Inc.

Disability Area:          


Topic Area:                  


Length of Session (in hours): 1-hrFormat: Lecture Expertise Level: BeginnerType of session: Not provided

Summary of Session

Accessible Media Inc. (AMI) is a not-for-profit multimedia organization serving Canadians who are primarily blind, partially sighted or print restricted, as well as a wider audience of persons with disabilities, through television broadcast channels with closed captioning and open video description and via https://www.ami.ca/.

Abstract

Operating three broadcast services, AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French, AMI's mission is to make accessible media for all. In pursuit of that mission, we believe that for all impacted and concerned Canadians, AMI can be a new model media organization that creates, advocates, collaborates and enables accessibility to all media. Come to gain insight into AMI's current initiatives, including those previously implemented, such as our accessible media player the AMI-player, the Video Description Best Practices and the Video Description TV Guide (DV Guide). In addition, AMI's Research Panel consisting of blind and partially sighted Canadians representing every region of the country and AMI's post-secondary Scholarship Program.

Keypoints

  1. AMI's work related to video description in conjunction with Canadian and US broadcast regulators
  2. AMI's work related to video description in conjunction with the broadcasting industry
  3. AMI's digital strategy initiatives including an enhanced social media presence, website and mobile services

Speaker Bio(s)

Robert Pearson

Robert is the Accessibility Officer for Accessible Media Inc. (AMI) in Canada and has been functioning, influencing, and engaging in the accessibility industry since 1999. Robert joined AMI in April, 2011 as Director, Accessible Digital Media responsible for leading AMI's efforts to improve the accessibility of digital media, develop and manage AMI's relationships with likeminded and accessibility focused organizations and to liaise with the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission on various initiatives. In his role as Accessibility Officer, Robert's focus is on establishing and maintaining AMI as a leader and standard bearer on media accessibility by setting and influencing accessibility standards and best practices, shaping organization policies and practices and encouraging the development of technology and industry solutions that contribute to creating an inclusive environment within AMI and with their external partners.

Handout(s)

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