Nasreen Bhutta
Volunteer Beta Accessibility Tester
Virginia Vuleta
Director of Digital Strategy, AMI
AMI+ users can personalize their online experience, making AMI’s high-quality content for the disability community increasingly accessible.
Accessible Media Inc. (AMI) is renowned as a non-profit that empowers, entertains, and informs Canadians who are blind, partially-sighted or members of the disability community. Operating three broadcast services, AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English, and AMI-télé in French, they deliver one-of-a-kind original content by and for those in the disability community. By prioritizing accurate representation, reflection, and portrayal, the company is innovating inclusive, accessible media and supporting Canadians with disabilities.
Now, they’re proud to launch AMI+, a streaming platform that gives users access to all their award-winning content. Built for the disability community, AMI+’s streamlined look is customizable to uniquely suit a person’s preferences. Available on demand and free for anyone to access, the website is fully accessible – making it easier than ever for visitors to interact with content.
User-friendly for all
“Everything we do is centered around accessibility,” says Virginia Vuleta, AMI’s Director of Digital Strategy. “As leaders in Canadian accessibility programming, we have worked steadily to provide solutions and remove all potential barriers.” AMI partnered with Fable, an accessibility testing company, throughout the designing and developing process of AMI+. Over many rigorous testing sessions with people who have partial sight or cognitive differences, AMI+ received great results and constructive feedback.
The platform underwent community testing projects with volunteer beta accessibility testers like Nasreen Bhutta. “I gave a detailed assessment because it’s incredibly important that platforms like AMI+ succeed. People with disabilities access the internet in different ways, and this helps level the playing field. Everybody wins when there’s increased accessibility.”
AMI+ is fostering inclusion by showcasing stories that are relevant to Canadians of all abilities. Covering a wide variety of topics, their content includes documentaries, television shows, live audio broadcasts, original podcasts, and so much more.
Representation matters
The platform is meeting accessibility needs. An Accessibility Preferences button sits atop each page, where one can choose from eight levels of contrast and alter text font, size, and line spacing. Plus, the website will remember and maintain these preferences for the user’s next visit. Its enhanced inputs make it fully compatible with assistive technology like magnifiers and screen readers on all Apple, Android, and Windows devices.
Prioritizing inclusivity, AMI works collectively to achieve their goals by enabling everyone involved. “We include as many voices and perspectives as we can when we design, develop, and test a product so that everybody feels represented when they interact with our platform and media,” Virginia adds. “We’re always asking, how can we make this better? How can we enhance?” Striving to grow in new ways, they’re committed to being transparent with and involving their audiences at every stage.
Changing the conversation
As a space that depicts and celebrates underrepresented communities, websites like AMI+ are hugely beneficial for Canadians who are members of the disability community. “The platform helps shatter the many misconceptions that society has around disabilities,” Nasreen explains. “I’d recommend the platform because it’s for the disabled community, by the disabled community.”
Customize your entertainment experience and have access to quality content for the disability community at amiplus.ca.
