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All about audio descriptions

Audio descriptions add experience for those who are blind by providing them descriptions of things that cannot be seen such as:

  • Scenery
  • Facial expressions
  • Any important content shown visually

A narrator will speak when there are any gaps in the dialogue or sounds of the movie to provide enough commentary for those who are blind to understand the story. It works best when there is functionality for your users to turn off when not needed, or if there is a separate version of the video with the audio description

When are audio descriptions needed?

If your video does not have any additional video information such as photos are charts, and the information can easily be scripted in a way to include all important content that would be visually seen in an audible way then you do not need to include an audio description.

If you cannot script your video in a way to provide all this information then you should include an audio description.

It is also best to include a transcript for any of your deafblind users.

Prerecorded multimedia(video plus audio) must include audio descriptions

These video files that contain essential information that can only be conveyed visually must come with an audio description track.

Prerecorded video-only content must include audio descriptions or a transcript

Its best to provide both the audio description and a transcript because transcripts will allow all types of users access to the content.

Audio descriptions may be provided for live multimedia(video plus audio) content

This is an art and science that requires trained audio-describers and a technical platform to provide this alternate audio. There is no requirement under WCAG 2.1, Section 508 or The 21st Century Video Communications and Accessibility Act (CVAA) to provide an audio description for live multimedia content but if you record the live event and then make it available for viewing later you may need to add this.

Audio descriptions may be provided for live video-only content

This is very similar to the live multimedia content so see above.

What to include in audio descriptions

Its importatnt to convey all important visual information verbablly that dialogue and other sounds cannot.

General Principles

Level of desription possible is determined by the soundtrack, it should include all information that is important to the plot or characterization

  • Locations
  • Settings
  • Characters
  • Clothing
  • Facial expressions
  • Mannerisms
  • Lighting
  • Colors
  • Etc

The audio descriptions should:

  • Coincide with actions being described
  • Written in a clear, simple language avoiding any technical terms unless the context demands it
  • Be in present tense
  • Identify new speakers or scenes
  • Indicate passage of time between scenes
  • Differentiate between imagined, remembers or dreams scenes from real events
  • Not give any more information that a sighted user would receive

Writing style

The audio descriptions should:

  • Give a feel for the settings without being overwhelming
  • Be neutral
  • Describe the sources of unidentified speech or sound
  • Not draw attention to itself - should blend in with the rest of the audio
  • Avoid terms like "we see", "the camera zooms-in", "a close-up"
  • Racist or offensive terms should never be used but ethnicity should be noted when its essential to the plot or the character
  • Style of description should match the program
  • Every gap in dialogue does not need to be filled with description, music and ambience can tell the story as well

Sounds

  • No description is necessary when there is an obvious audio cue
  • Descriptions should fall on either side of the sound, but best to have it fall before rather than after

Subtitles

  • Should be noted in first instance then prefixed with subtitle or he/she says

Songs

  • Describing over important lyrics should be avoided

Credits

  • Credits at the beginning or ending should be read out

Extended audio descriptions - where pauses in foreground audio are insufficient to allow audio descriptions to convey the sense of the video, extended audio should be provided for all prerecorded multimedia content

The video will periodically be paused to provide the narrator with extra time to describe what is visually happening on the screen, then the video will continue. Extended audio descriptions should be provided as a feature that may be turned on or off.

Methods of presenting audio descriptions

  • Create a separate version of the video with embedded audio descriptions
    • Two versions of the video - one with audio descriptions and one with no audio descriptions (regular track)
    • Provide links on the page with both versions of the page or embed the original in the page and provide:
      • A link to the audio-described version on a separate page
      • A button to open a dialog which the video is presented on the page
      • A button to toggle which video is presented on the page
    • Closed captions should also include the audio track narration
  • Create a separate audio file of just the audio descriptions and allow the users to turn on the audio description option to play synchronously with the video
    • Only one video file exists but it has more than one audio file available
    • Like the close caption button that toggles the audio descriptions on and off
    • Can either look like a D or AD
    • Relies on the video player supporting multiple soundtracks / audio files