[CEUD-ICT] Accessible DVD released today by Office of Ombudsman on making a complaint under the Disability Act (2005)

[Barry McMullin]

On Tue, 30 Mar 2010, Donal J. Rice wrote:

> Apologies for cross posting.  Below please find a press release from the
> Office of the Ombudsman, Emily O'Reilly, on the release of an accessible
> DVD to address the issue identified by her office that the "number of
> complaints made to her under the Disability Act about accessibility of
> buildings, services and information is remarkably low - just a few to
> date."

> The full text of the Ombudsman´s address, together with the
> DVD, can be viewed on the Ombudsman's website
> (www.ombudsman.ie) from 12.00noon today.

Well, it's gone 12.00 noon, and I just cruised over to the
Ombudsman site. Can't find anything about the "Ombudsman´s
address", nor about a "DVD" per se, but there is a prominent
online link for this "Information video", including both a
"subtitled" (sic) version and one with "Sign language
interpretation":

<http://www.ombudsman.gov.ie/en/AccessibleServices/Watchourinformationvideo/AbouttheOmbudsman/>

But ... funnily enough, no video appeared for me; nor any
explanation why not (just a page template with no actual
content in the middle). A quick peek at the source suggests it
may be exclusively available for Windows Media Player (and the
OBJECT element has no fallback content so that's your lot?).

Mind you, a little further poking suggests that the "raw" video
files (mpeg format) can be downloaded (each variant weighs in at
around 72MByte, so this is not for the faint hearted!):

+ Plain: <http://www.ombudsman.gov.ie/en/media/omben.mpg>
+ "Subtitles" [sic]: <http://www.ombudsman.gov.ie/en/media/ombenSub.mpg>
+ Sign Language Interpretation: <http://www.ombudsman.gov.ie/en/media/ombenSL.mpg>

I will look at the content "proper" when I get a chance; but I
have to say that in terms of this as an example of "accessible"
communication by a public body, I'm cringing.  They *wanted* to
do it well, they *meant* to do it well, they *spent money* to do
it well, and then they embed it in a web page which works on only
one client platform and has no fallback - not even a transcript.

I *know* that this is not reflective of what the accessible
design community in Ireland can and regularly does achieve; but
what on earth went wrong here?

(But maybe it's just the snow making me ratty again...)

Best wishes - Barry.

--
Barry McMullin,
Director, The Rince Research Institute (www.rince.ie)
Dublin City University
   phone: +353-1-700-5432
   web: http://www.eeng.dcu.ie/~mcmullin/