Action item: proposals for SC 1.2.2 (audio description)

[The text below is attached as a .RTF document]

On the 22 December WG call I took an action item (not recorded in the
minutes) to produce new wording for SC 1.2.2 as well as to review 1.2.1.
The following proposals relate only to SC 1.2.2. 

<current>
Audio descriptions  of video are provided for prerecorded  multimedia
</current>

The WG was concerned that the SC appears to require audio description
for all multimedia, while How to Meet SC 1.2.2 might redefine the SC by
describing situations when audio description is not required. The intent
of the action item was to resolve this apparent discrepancy.

Recommendations:
1.	Retain the current wording for SC 1.2.2-no change is required.
2.	Modify the Intent section of How to Meet SC 1.2.2 as per the
proposal below.
3.	Update our definition of audio description (see proposal below).
4.	Create a general technique that explains how to develop audio
descriptions, to be used in combination with the relevant
technology-specific technique. (Draft technique is provided below.)

Rationale:
Both the current and proposed definitions of audio description  state
clearly that audio description is required only for important content
that is not available from the sound track alone. 

Thus How to Meet SC 1.2.2 does not redefine the success criterion.
Instead, it provides information to help readers understand how to use
the definition in applying the success criterion. We may want to say
this more clearly in the Intent section of How to Meet SC 1.2.2. 
Proposed change to Intent section of How to Meet SC 1.2.2
For example, we could move what is now the second sentence of the
definition to the end of the Intent section (or repeat it there), with
an additional clause to make it clear that description is required only
for important visual content that cannot be understood from the
soundtrack alone.

<proposed>
The intent of this success criterion is to provide people who are blind
or visually impaired access to a multimedia presentation. The audio
description augments the audio portion of the presentation with the
information needed when the video portion is not available. During
naturally-occurring pauses in dialog, audio descriptions provide
information about actions, characters, scene changes and on-screen text
which are important and are not described or spoken in the main sound
track.  
</proposed>

<current>
The intent of this success criterion is to provide people who are blind
or vision impaired access to a multimedia presentation. The audio
description augments the audio portion of the presentation with the
information needed when the video portion is not available. </current>


>

Proposed definition of audio description
The following proposal is adapted from the survey "Misc. questions for
22 December," http://www.w3.org/2002/09/wbs/35422/20051222-misc/; the
definition proposed below includes suggestions from John and Gregg (see
survey Results)
<proposed>
audio description = narration added to the soundtrack to describe
important visual details that cannot be understood from the main
soundtrack alone. During naturally-occurring pauses in dialog, audio
descriptions of  video  provide information about actions, characters,
scene changes and on-screen text. 
</proposed>

<current>
Audio narration that is added to the soundtrack to explain important
details that cannot be understood from the main soundtrack alone. During
pauses in dialog, audio descriptions of  video  provide information
about actions, characters, scene changes and on-screen text to people
who are blind or visually impaired.
</current>

Proposed general technique for creating audio descriptions
1.	Review the multimedia
2.	Identify important visual content (actions, characters,
on-screen text, settings) that must be understood in order to use the
multimedia
3.	Determine whether important visual content identified in step2
(above) can be understood by listening to the soundtrack alone 
a.	For example, turn off or conceal the video display, then listen
to the sound track . Is the important information needed to understand
what is happening still available without the visual display?
i.	If "yes" (important visual information is available via the
soundtrack alone), then audio description is not required.
ii.	If "no" (important visual information is not available from the
soundtrack alone), go to step 4 (below).
4.	Write brief descriptions that can be spoken during
naturally-occurring pauses in the dialogue to convey the necessary
information.
5.	Create and save digitral audio recording(s) of the descriptions.
a.	Recorded descriptions can be stored in individual files or as a
single file containing all the descriptions.
6.	Synchronize the audio description(s)  with the multimedia.


"Good design is accessible design."

Dr. John M. Slatin, Director 
Accessibility Institute
University of Texas at Austin 
FAC 248C 
1 University Station G9600 
Austin, TX 78712 
ph 512-495-4288, fax 512-495-4524 
email jslatin@mail.utexas.edu 
Web http://www.utexas.edu/research/accessibility