Media Access Australia (M.A.A.) strives for accessibility and inclusion through technology and is a
not-for-profit
A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...
organization located in
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
dedicated to increasing access to websites and digital media for people with
disabilities
Disability is the experience of any condition that makes it more difficult for a person to do certain activities or have equitable access within a given society. Disabilities may be cognitive, developmental, intellectual, mental, physical, se ...
. This includes those who are
deaf or
hearing impaired,
blind or
vision impaired
Visual impairment, also known as vision impairment, is a medical definition primarily measured based on an individual's better eye visual acuity; in the absence of treatment such as correctable eyewear, assistive devices, and medical treatment†...
, or have a
cognitive disability, as well as older Australians, such as those from non-English-speaking backgrounds, and people with varying levels of
education and literacy.
In addition to M.A.A.’s advocacy efforts, the organization helps provide clients with (digital accessibility services) provided by a team of media specialists that work with local, state and federal governments, corporations, educational institutions, and charities to help maximize engagement and inclusion for the broadest possible audience.
M.A.A. works alongside organizations to audit, review, and implement accessibility, along with providing training for staff in best-practice digital access. The organization also runs a university-accredited online course – the Professional Certificate in Web Accessibility (P.C.W.A.) – that is run in six-week modules, with three to four intakes each year.
M.A.A. is also focused on audio-visual media, including
streaming services
An over-the-top media service is a streaming media service offered directly to viewers via the Internet. OTT bypasses cable, broadcast, and satellite television platforms, the companies that traditionally act as a controller or distributors of s ...
,
TV,
cinema,
DVD
The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kin ...
s and
new media, by providing information about technological solutions that make audio-visual media accessible to people with disabilities. These solutions include
audio description,
captioning
Closed captioning (CC) and subtitling are both processes of displaying text on a television, video screen, or other visual display to provide additional or interpretive information. Both are typically used as a transcription of the audio port ...
, and mainstream new media technologies. M.A.A .supports improvements in media access in Australia towards international
best practice
A best practice is a method or technique that has been generally accepted as superior to other known alternatives because it often produces results that are superior to those achieved by other means or because it has become a standard way of doing ...
by identifying mainstream technological solutions and cost-effective ways to promote and implement them.
M.A.A. works collaboratively with
consumer organization
Consumer organizations are advocacy groups that seek to protect people from corporate abuse like unsafe products, predatory lending, false advertising, astroturfing and pollution.
Consumer Organizations may operate via protests, litigation, Adver ...
s;
Government
A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state.
In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is a ...
and
industry in Australia and internationally.
Background
Media Access Australia was formerly the Australian Caption Center (A.C.C.), co-founded by Adam Salzer and Alexandra Hynes in 1982. In 2005, A.C.C. sold its commercial operations, including captioning services to
Red Bee Media
Red Bee Media, formerly Ericsson Broadcast and Media Services (EBMS), is an international broadcasting and media services company and the largest access provider in Europe. Red Bee has its headquarters in London, England, with branch offices in ...
,
Red Bee Media
and became Media Access Australia (M.A.A.). M.A.A. is an independent not-for-profit organization that currently helps those with disabilities reach their full potential.
References
{{reflist
External links
Media Access AustraliaMedia Access Australia: Audio Description
Disability organisations based in Australia