Media Access Australia launches new accessible website

Australia’s only independent not-for-profit media access organisation, Media Access Australia, has launched its new accessible website, merging their sites mediaaccess.org.au and audiodescription.com.au. The site, designed by Doppio Design and built by OPC IT, showcases innovative design and the latest web technologies while meeting international standards for web accessibility.

The website is a key source of news on media access developments and practical information and resources on access to media, particularly for people who are blind, vision impaired, Deaf and hearing impaired. The site focuses on access to television, DVDs, digital technology, online media, cinema and the arts and access in the classroom.

CEO of Media Access Australia, Alex Varley said, “Media Access Australia’s core business is about accessibility. We are out there talking to the community, to business and government about the need for accessible websites and our new site shows it can be achieved. Many people won’t see the accessibility features and that is the point. They are there for the people that need them and you don’t need to put a big label highlighting an accessibility feature, it is part and parcel of standard website design which includes everybody.”

Accessibility has been at the forefront of the new website’s design, development and testing. The site has been built to meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 level ‘AA’ using Drupal content management system. In addition to its development by experienced developers of accessible websites, the site has undergone automatic as well as real world testing for accessibility.

Media Access Australia’s New Media Manager, Sarah Pulis said, “We didn't compromise any of the website's functionality to meet the ‘AA’ guidelines. A common myth is that an accessible website must be a boring website, a myth that desperately needs debunking. For instance, we wanted a rotating feature on our homepage. We worked with both our designers and developers to ensure the feature met WCAG 2.0 ‘AA’ guidelines and also tested it with users.”

Our brand research showed confusion over the ‘New media’ section. You will now find this content and much more in two new sections, ‘Digital technology’ and ‘Online media’. Digital technology contains information on accessible mainstream devices and technologies that make your computer accessible, for example, software and assistive technology devices.

The Online Media section focuses on the internet itself. Here you’ll find information on website accessibility and accessible media on the web, such as audio and video material (e.g. captioned videos on YouTube and movies on iTunes) and social media (e.g. Facebook, Twitter).

Sign up to our new customisable news alert system for daily, weekly or monthly news alerts. You can choose which type of news items you would like to receive, whether relating to television, DVD, education, cinema and the arts, digital technology, online media or research and policy, or a combination of these. You can also choose whether you want to receive information relating to the blind and vision impaired or the Deaf and hearing impaired.

If you have any difficulty using the site, or would like to provide us with feedback please phone us on 02 9212 6242 or send us an email.

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For more information about Media Access Australia’s new website, please contact:

Katie Couani

Marketing Communications Coordinator

Media Access Australia

Email: Katie.couani@mediaaccess.org.au

Ph: 02 9212 6242