News
November 11, 2009

NCAM and Apple Publish "Creating Accessible iTunes U Content"

The National Center for Accessible Media at WGBH has written guidelines for content providers who would like to create accessible iTunes U media via captions, subtitles and audio descriptions. These guidelines provide step-by-step documentation on creating fully accessible media, including:

• Closed captions and audio descriptions that the user can turn on or off as needed.
• Open subtitles and descriptions that are available to everyone watching or listening.
• Closed subtitles for adding multiple language tracks to video files.
• Accessible PDFs.

Also included with the guidelines are links to eight video and audio clips that illustrate the various forms of accessible media discussed in the document. Using these guidelines, iTunes U content providers can create content that all people can learn from including those with vision and hearing impairments. Download Creating Accessible iTunes U Content from the iTunes U area of the iTunes store. A pdf version is also available, which includes links to the video and audio clips on the iTunes U site.

About NCAM and WGBH

The Carl and Ruth Shapiro Family National Center for Accessible Media at WGBH is a research, development and advocacy entity that works to make existing and emerging technologies accessible to all audiences. NCAM is part of the Media Access Group at WGBH, which also includes The Caption Center (est. 1972), and Descriptive Video Service® (est. 1990). For more information, visit The Media Access Group at WGBH.

WGBH Boston is America's preeminent public broadcasting producer, the source of fully one-third of PBS's prime-time lineup, along with some of public television's best-known lifestyle shows and children's programs and many public radio favorites. For more information, visit the WGBH Web site.

Contact

Mary Watkins
mary_watkins@wgbh.org
Media Access Group at WGBH
617 300-3700