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Re: 508 compliance for video?

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From: Joshua Hori
Date: Jan 29, 2016 7:20PM

While audio descriptions are meant for the visually disabled, it also assists students on the spectrum.

I'm a little hesitant in stating diversity in descriptions unless it directly calls for it within the video. For instance, while watching a video on racial cultures, there may be body signals which some students don't pay attention to until you point them out with an audio description. Or there may be little cues, or facial expressions which are overlooked on first watch, but made aware with the audio descriptions. A Muslim man may shoo a dog away, as dogs are seen as dirty in their culture, but a student may just think that the person doesn't like dogs. Or that sitting with your foot facing someone is derogatory in the Muslim culture, but a student may just see the person as rude and offensive. Or describing how "organized" lines work in China. Those people aren't fighting, they're just trying to pay the bills in their civilized fashion.

On the other hand, a diverse group of students would just be considered "students". It wasn't a decade ago that people were offended by referring to others by their race, it may be best to not take audio descriptions that way. You could assume someone is one race, when really they are a different race altogether. I'm one of those people. Everyone swears I'm Latino, Hispanic, Puerto Rican, Greek, Indian, or Arabic. I'm none of these.

As for the voiceovers, I was always lead to believe those were actors and never actual doctors. Actual doctors would never give medical advice over the internet as everyone is different, just like accommodating disabilities.

Sincerely,

Joshua Hori
Accessible Technology Analyst
University of California, Davis
Student Disability Center
54 Cowell Building
Davis, CA 95616
530-304-5482