RE: Captions for audio clips

JW:
>It appears to be broadly agreed within the group that a requirement to
>synchronize text transcripts with audio presentations should be
>established, at least at a priority 2 level.

PJ:
Where is the broad agreement?  Bruce, Jason, and Charles seem to agree with
P2.  I'm arguing for P3, and Robert and Eric seem OK with either P2 or P3,
and I haven't heard form others.  I do agree that there seems agreement
that we need to make the distinction between multimedia videos and unimedia
sounds files in the errata so that WCAG 1.4 doesn't apply to the unimedia
sound only files.

Bruce and Charles have made some good points, that it "could" be useful:

BB:
>With the very reasonable points made about residual hearing, English as a
>foreign language, learning disabilities, etc....
and Charles claimed it is valuable:
CMN:
>having the sound and the captions/score available
>and synchronisd is more valuable than one or the other

PJ:
but I've heard no supporting rationale or any convincing evidence that
suggests that the "value" is more than useful and improves accessibility
[P3].

Because the deaf,  [learning disabled, or those learning a foreign
language] are so comfortable now with synchronized television (and movie)
captioning, does not support the argument that they will be comfortable or
have significant barriers removed with synchronized captioned audio only
files.  Can anyone even show me an sample example, or better yet, a real
example on the Web or anywhere?  If we don't add a supporting technique, a
checkpoint requiring [even at P3] synchronized captions for audio only
files shouldn't even be added to the guidelines.  I've seen natural
language courses use techniques of synchronization to TEACH the language,
but we're talking about guideline 1 - equivalent alternative information -
not "teaching natural languages" or "teaching singing".  We have been
talking about ideas and theories, how can we suppose that it fits the
definition of "significant barriers".  P3 is still "valuable" and "useful"
and "improves accessibility".

Regards,
Phill Jenkins

Received on Wednesday, 15 December 1999 11:52:27 UTC