(Source: webAIM 2002 Accessibility Training CD-ROM)
When delivering multimedia content for the three major media players (Windows Media Player, Quicktime and RealMedia Player), the developer must choose whether to have the viewer access the content through a player that is embedded in a web page or through a standalone player. Both methods have their advantages. Embedding the player in a web page allows the user to access the content without another application opening. The standalone players usually have more control options.
We tested the accessibility of each of the media players as an embedded object in a web page and as a standalone application. The players were tested for keyboard accessibility (i.e. the ability to control the media only using the keyboard) and screen reader compatibility (could the JAWS screen reader access the menus and buttons). These tests were performed on a Pentium II 433 Mhz PC with 128 MB or RAM running Windows 98 SE.
| Player | Type | Accessibility Rating * |
|---|---|---|
| RealMedia Player 8 Basic | Embedded | 1 |
| RealMedia Player 8 Basic | Standalone | 4 |
| RealOne Player Basic | Embedded | 1 |
| RealOne Player Basic | Standalone | 6 |
| Quicktime Player 4 | Embedded | 2 |
| Quicktime Player 4 | Standalone | 5 |
| Quicktime Player 5 | Embedded | 4 |
| Quicktime Player 5 | Standalone | 4 |
| Windows Media Player 7 | Embedded | 1 |
| Windows Media Player 7 | Standalone | 7 |
| Window Media Player for Windows XP | Embedded | 1 |
| Window Media Player for Windows XP | Standalone | 7 |
* The accessibility rating is on a scale of 1 to 7. A score of 1 means that the application is completely inaccessible. A score of 7 means that all of the application's features are available using a keyboard.