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Re: Audio description and captions

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From: Dean.Vasile
Date: Jan 29, 2024 6:20AM

Karen

In the context of WCAG, subtitles and captions serve different purposes:

1. **Subtitles** typically provide a transcription or translation of the dialogue or spoken content in a video. These are meant for viewers who may not understand the language spoken in the video or for those who need clarification.

2. **Captions**, on the other hand, aim to convey not only the spoken dialogue but also any other relevant audio information such as sound effects or music cues, making the content accessible to people who are deaf or hard of hearing.

WCAG does not specifically differentiate between subtitles and captions in terms of conformance requirements. However, providing both subtitles and captions can enhance accessibility and user experience for a broader audience.

As for your question about choosing between captions and subtitles/video descriptions, it depends on the platform or video player being used. Some platforms allow users to select their preferred language for subtitles or audio tracks. However, this feature may not be universally available across all platforms or videos.

To address your personal difficulty in understanding plots when languages change in films/multimedia, having access to both subtitles and audio descriptions can significantly improve comprehension, especially if you're not familiar with the spoken language. It's worth exploring platforms or video services that offer customizable accessibility features to better meet your needs.

Dean Vasile


617-799-1162

> On Jan 29, 2024, at 7:47 AM, Karen McCall < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
>
> I've been trying to find out an answer to what might be a similar question.
>
> This has more to do with videos that are in a different language.
>
> You would have the "subtitle" track with a translation into another language. For example, if the film's spoken words were in Spanish and the "subtitles" were in English.
>
> This would not be classified as captions because I would imagine that the captions would reflect the Spanish spoken words.
>
> What does WCAG say about dubbed or subtitled multimedia?
>
> I would imagine that the video description would be in the "subtitle" track as the "subtitle" or translated track should be available to those who need/want it.
>
> Is there a mechanism to choose whether someone wants captions or subtitles/video descriptions?
>
> I am often at a loss in understanding plots when languages change in films/multimedia and I don't have access to hearing the subtitle text.
>
> Cheers, Karen