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Media Accessibility Information, Guidelines and Research
Election 2016: DCMP Accessible Media and Teaching Ideas
Whether you're focused on the presidential election or local elections, DCMP has accessible resources to support you. These include 45 described and captioned videos! We also have compiled some sources of information concerning the "Help America Vote Act" and other resources of special interest to voters who are blind or deaf.
First 2016 Presidential Debate (Captioned)
The first face-off of the 2016 presidential election cycle took place on September 26 and broke TV debate viewership records.
The Choice 2016 (Captioned)
Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are two of the most polarizing presidential candidates in modern history. Veteran FRONTLINE filmmaker Michael Kirk goes beyond the headlines to investigate what has shaped these two candidates, where they came from, how they lead and why they want one of the most difficult jobs imaginable. (Also available for viewing on the Frontline website.)
For Further Study
• A Political Profile of Persons With Disabilities: Pew Research Center
http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/09/22/a-political-profile-of-disabled-americans/
The potential of the disabled as a voting bloc has also attracted attention in this 2016 campaign. Overall, Americans with disabilities have thought about the upcoming election and care about who wins at rates similar to Americans without disabilities. However, on the whole, those with disabilities are less likely to turn out to vote on Election Day, as they face a number of obstacles to voting.
• Help America Vote - What is HAVA?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4fmI0kqVrQ&feature=plcp
This captioned YouTube video from Arkansas introduces the viewer to the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002. Your state may have similar material.
• The Blind Voter Experience
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_yTfEO2Kz8
The 2002 Help America Vote Act (HAVA) was designed to enable voters with disabilities to vote privately and independently, by requiring that all polling places have at least one accessible voting system. In this video by the National Federation of the Blind, there are demonstrations as to how to handle different scenarios on election day if you're blind.
• The Blind and Visually Impaired Voter's Guide [DOC]
http://dcmp.co/blind_voters
This paper from the National Federation of the Blind overviews HAVA, why blind Americans should vote, how to register to vote, and resources to help identify polling place locations, voting procedures, and more.
• Deaf Voter Rights: Accessible Polling Places
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EEMAClFtCc
Captioned and in American Sign Language, this ACLU YouTube video overviews the ways that all polling places must be physically accessible for people with disabilities. Adds that any person can bring almost anyone into the voting booth except their employer, and that anyone can always ask for help from the poll workers.
• Why Should Deaf People Vote?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gh1Vj-EnXRc
This signed and captioned video by "Rooted In Rights" encourages deaf persons to vote and provides reasons why voting is crucial for such persons.
