Disney Star to include Indian sign language and audio descriptive feed for T20 WC

Mumbai: On the occasion of Global Accessibility Awareness Day, Disney Star in association with India Signing Hands (ISH), announced the availability of an Indian Sign Language feed for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, starting June 1.

This will be applicable for 10 matches including the India matches, semifinals and finals. The company will also support an audio descriptive feed, along with the Indian sign language feed on Disney+ Hotstar and Star Sports Network.

"This is the first time that the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup will be broadcast with sign language and descriptive commentary making cricket more immersive for its deaf, hard-of-hearing and visually impaired users. With this, Disney+ Hotstar also becomes the first OTT platform to make ISL available for live cricket," the live-streaming platform said in a release.

Commenting on an initiative, Minister of Information & Broadcasting and Youth Affairs & Sports, Anurag Singh Thakur said, "I commend Star Sports and Disney+ Hotstar for introducing Indian Sign Language and Audio Descriptive commentary during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. The Government of India is committed to creating an inclusive society and I strongly believe that this initiative will enhance the viewing experience for millions of differently-abled sports enthusiasts."

Sajith Sivanandan, Head, Disney+ Hotstar India, said, "This underscores our commitment to promote inclusivity and serve all users. With these enhancements, we aim to ensure that the excitement of cricket knows no bounds."

Sanjog Gupta, Head - Sports, Disney Star said, “The descriptive and Indian sign language feeds on Star Sports during IPL 2024 were met with an overwhelming response. Disney Star is extending this endeavour to make cricket fandom and experiences more inclusive by introducing, for the first time ever, these feeds on the ICC Men's T20 World Cup. The initiative also serves to present a more inclusive picture of India's favourite sport and is of immense pride for the sporting fraternity."

The sign language feed will provide a comprehensive ball-by-ball update through the presence of a translator on the live stream. The audio descriptive feed will be complemented by voice-over technology, which can render text and images into a speech output, enabling our visually impaired users to easily navigate through the Disney+ Hotstar app.