Yesterday, Twitch shared a video of various disabled streamers that are on the live-streaming platform as a way to take part in Global Accessibility Awareness Day 2020. Additionally, a blog was posted a few days ago to explore exactly what Twitch has been doing to support disabled creators on the platform.
The video that launched featured Steven Spohn, Brandon Cole, Sweet Anita, and Stacey Rebecca. The creators explain their disability and discuss being open on the platform. You can watch the video embedded just below.
No matter your interests, background, or ability, you’ve got a place on Twitch.
— Twitch (@Twitch) May 21, 2020
Learn about what we’re doing to make Twitch a more digitally accessible place during Global Accessibility Awareness Day: https://t.co/KVyvKJmc6O pic.twitter.com/sifybPttmu
The blog post goes into how the company has made steps in supporting all creators and users throughout the community. It points out the redesign that arrived on the platform in late 2019 that also addressed visual accessibility issues. There’s also the accessibility documentation that was added to the component library to ensure new products are accessible from the beginning.
Twitch also released an accessibility statement to remain committed to ensuring the platform is as inclusive as possible. But the company hasn’t just improved the platform and its products, but it also details some programs.
At TwitchCon San Diego 2019, for example, the company held a panel that had disabled creators explaining how they stream with disabilities, hurdles, and successes. It also established the Access Ability Guild for Twitch employees with disabilities, and there’s also Empathy Sessions that find disabled streamers able to speak with Twitch employees to detail experiences and issues that the streaming platform could fix or improve.
As for Global Accessibility Awareness Day 2020 which took place online yesterday, this was Twitch’s first involvement with the hashtag. And throughout the day, disabled streamers were on the front page from 8am PT all the way through 6pm PT. The full list of streamers that were on the front page is detailed in the blog.
Streamers are also invited to help make their streams more accessible by implementing features such as the Stream Closed Captioner which I’ve personally seen in action, and providing the microphone quality is good, it’s not bad at all.
Twitch mentions that it’s going to remain proactive with ensuring they keep the platform inclusive for many. The company states that it will continue to create documentation fix issues, and spotlight streamers more. All in all, it seems as if Twitch is taking a wonderful, inclusive approach to supporting more streamers.
