AusLeisure

More Australians with disabilities are now able to enjoy the Boxing Day tradition of going to the movies as a result of new technology to aid deaf and blind cinema-goers.

A Federal Government joint initiative with the Accessible Cinema Advisory Group has seen the introduction of 146 special movie screens in recent months, with 240 more screens set to be introduced across the country by the end of 2014.

Explaining the initiative Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities, Senator Jan McLucas says it has been a moving experience for Australians with a disability.

Senator McLucas stated that the initiative "means that when you go the cinema and you are blind you can get a piece of equipment that will describe the film to you, if you're hearing-impaired you will get a piece of equipment that you put into your cup-holder and it will provide the captions to you.

"People who are using them report that this is the first time that they've had the opportunity to go with their family or with their friends to the theatre.

"I had a wonderful letter from a gentleman who's hearing-impaired who went to a movie with his children for the first time ever."

The Cinema Access Implementation Plan is an agreement by the four major cinema chains (Hoyts, Village Cinemas, Event Cinemas and Reading Cinemas).

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