Comments from Judy Harkins re: checkpoint 1.5

I'm passing these comments on regarding checkpoint 1.5. They come from 
Judy Harkins, who is the director of the Technology Assessment Program
at Gallaudet University, and are in response to a request for advice
about the difference between foreground and background sound such that
background sounds would not interfere with foreground sounds.

Her comments are based on the Jan 8 draft of WCAG 2.0.

-Ben

-----Original Message-----
From: Judy Harkins [mailto:judy.harkins@tap.gallaudet.edu] 
Sent: Monday, February 17, 2003 6:15 PM
To: Ben Caldwell
Subject: Re: Foreground and Background Audio Question

Ben,
 
I think "audio presentation" is not the best term to be counterpart to
"text content."  Usually foreground audio content is speech, and that
would be the clearest way to say it.
 
So...Minimum level would be:
Speech content is not presented over background sounds or music that
seriously interfere with the intelligibility of the speech content
unless the background sounds can be easily removed.
 
I would suggest that Level 2 for audio be at the current one for level 3

Re dB level I would say at least 20 dB lower.  
 
And that level 3 for audio be the same as for visual, i.e., "there are
no background sounds or music"
 
 
Benefits,
simpler to say, Background sounds interfere with the ability of someone
with a hearing impairment to understand speech, and may also interfere
with the intelligibility of the speech to someone who is in an
environment with ambient noise.  
 
Under examples, example 2, you might want to say "speech track" instead
of narration.  
 
Hope this helps,
 
Judy
 
 

Received on Wednesday, 26 February 2003 12:45:22 UTC