When the Oscar 2022 airing in the United States on ABC tonight from the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles, deaf and hard of hearing viewers will have access to a live broadcast of ASL interpretation, a first in the show’s 94-year history.
With certified deaf interpreters, the broadcast will be available on the Academy YouTube channelfree access on viewers’ personal devices, including their phone, tablet, or computer, where the stream will function as a second screen.
In addition, the transmission of ASL will be accessible to viewers who connect the entire program directly on oscars.com.
The move is part of the Academy’s ongoing efforts to expand accessibility at the annual ceremony.a commitment that Jeanell English, VP, Impact and Operations, told Hollywood Reporter which is not new.
Instead, it is part of “a constant space and a state of learning and growth” for the group behind the Oscars, which includes a greater commitment throughout the year in events by an organization that understands that “you cannot achieve inclusion without prioritizing accessibility”.
“We are not going to do everything right. We know, but we wonder, How can we continue to improve? Let’s keep pushing the boundaries and challenging and trying to create more access where we can,” English said of the Academy’s approach to accessibility and inclusion of people with disability. “We are proud of what we have done, but it is not enough and we are committed to continuing to do all we can on this journey.”
Besides, the ceremony plans to continue with the use of live captions and, following last year’s historic effort, the use of audio descriptions for blind and low vision viewers of the Oscars, courtesy of the nation’s largest closed captioning provider VITAC.
Their COVID-19 protocols were also carried over from last year.. The 2021 live and remote show featured socially distanced seating with nominees and winners also appearing remotely to address health and safety concerns from the pandemic.
For this year’s ceremony, the Academy’s Office of Representation, Inclusion and Equity worked with COVID medical advisors of the program to address and accommodate specific requests and questions related to COVID.
Source: Eluniverso
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