The 2nd meeting of the ITU-T Focus Group on Audiovisual Media Accessibility will be held on 15 September 2011 in Geneva.
This relatively new group, which started its work in May 2011, is under the chairmanship of industry experts Peter Olaf Looms (EBU and Denmark) and Masahito Kawamori (NTT, Japan). The main objective is to address the need to make audiovisual media accessible for persons with disabilities. The focus is on digital media including TV, IPTV, mobile the Web and games. Accessibility is interpreted broadly and encompasses not only persons with sensory impairments but also age-related difficulties when it comes to enjoying things like television, films and games.
The Focus Group encourages participation of all standards development organizations (SDOs) and regulators working in this area. The FG AVA is open to ITU Member States, Sector Members, Associates and Academia – membership of the ITU is not required. It is also open to any individual from a country which is a member of ITU and who is willing to contribute to the work. This includes individuals who are also members or representatives of SDOs as well as other interested stakeholders. The third meeting will be held on 17 November 2011 in Barcelona.
The work plan is extensive, covering:
- Captioning
- Audio/Video description and spoken captions
- Visual signing and sign language
- Emerging access services
- Electronic Programming Guides and on-air promotion
- Participation and digital media
- Digital Broadcast Television
- IPTV
- Mobile and handheld devices
Participation in meetings is free but requires prior registration for each meeting. More information, including registration details, at this link.