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Re: question about audio descriptions of video

for

From: ckrugman
Date: Dec 27, 2011 8:27AM

As a screen reader user I can listen to the screen reader giving a textual
description much faster than someone giving a verbal description. Since my
time is valuable and of course is money i prefer JAWs reading the
description.
Chuck
----- Original Message -----
From: "John E Brandt" < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
To: "'WebAIM Discussion List'" < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
Sent: Wednesday, November 09, 2011 8:27 AM
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] question about audio descriptions of video


> IMHO...
>
> You have two groups of individuals with disabilities that might find the
> video inaccessible.
>
> For folks with low vision who use screen readers, I think you might have a
> "pretty picture" conundrum.
>
> If you asked a bunch of screen reader users their opinion on what should
> be
> verbally "described" it would come to some folks wanting a very detailed
> description of everything the non-screen reader user "sees." You will also
> hear the opinion of something like, "I don't care, I am not spending 15
> minutes listening to someone's description of a group of athletes doing
> tricks and dancing with basketballs as a promotion to come support the
> college team." And you will find some folks squarely in the middle. You
> will
> not be able to make everyone happy with your verbal description.
>
> More about the "the pretty picture conundrum" is in one of my blogs
> http://jebswebs.net/blog/2010/12/writing-alt-descriptions/ - but the
> essence is shoot for middle ground.
>
> For folks in the Deaf community who need synchronized captioning to better
> understand spoken content on videos, they would probably be fine with the
> video as is, with maybe the music mark at the beginning as Andrew
> suggests.
>
> Now, regarding your State policy issue, it appears that they are referring
> to folks from the low vision/blind camp, hence the reference to the
> "pretty
> picture" issue. The message conveyed in the video - I think everyone would
> agree - is that you have a talented groups of young women athletes at your
> university and you encourage folks to support the women's basketball team.
> You might simply add to the current description something like "...in this
> video see our talented women athletes perform amazing ball handling
> activities..."
>
> ~j
>
> John E. Brandt
> www.jebswebs.com
> <EMAIL REMOVED>
> 207-622-7937
> Augusta, Maine, USA
>
>