RE: Audio Descriptions for Talking Heads

Contributing a little late to the dialog, but I have read the thread.

 

Section 508 has required that video and multimedia be audio described
for ten years for the Federal government.  This line is from the
preamble:

A "talking heads" video does not generally contain visual information
necessary for the comprehension of the content and would therefore not
be required to be audio described.

http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/preamble.htm

 

I had this scenario (government talking head video) in mind we as
developed the Success Criteria and Sufficient Techniques.  I am of the
opinion that there is not an issue.  In my experience, the only extra
work required is to check that the default audio track provides a voice
over for the opening title and closing credits.  The other thing that is
sometimes, but not usually, overlooked is the name and title of the
person talking.

 

-- 
Bruce Bailey
Accessibility IT Specialist
U.S. Access Board
1331 F Street NW, Suite 1000
Washington, DC  20004-1111
202-272-0024 (voice)
202-272-0082 (TTY, shared)
202-272-0081 (Fax, shared)
bailey@access-board.gov <mailto:bailey@access-board.gov> 

 

Thank you for your questions concerning section 508 of the
Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998.  Section 508 authorizes the
Access Board to provide technical assistance to individuals and Federal
departments and agencies concerning the requirements of this section.
This technical assistance is intended solely as informal guidance and is
not a determination of the legal rights or responsibilities of entities
subject to section 508.

 

 

From: w3c-wai-gl-request@w3.org [mailto:w3c-wai-gl-request@w3.org] On
Behalf Of David MacDonald
Sent: Saturday, June 18, 2011 11:01 AM
To: 'WCAG'
Subject: Audio Descriptions for Talking Heads

 

I've been coming across a lot of this lately, and don't really know what
to do about it... we have a requirement for audio descriptions... but
95% of all video on Government and corporate sites are just talking
heads, like a message from the CEO, or from the marketing manager, or
from the Minister, where he's just talking in front of a
non-consequential background.

 

Honestly, it seems extraneous to require these videos to be audio
described which can cost thousands of dollars, and provides almost zero
value for a person who is blind...

 

We could I guess get a voice overdub at the front that says... "the
minister speaking in his office, with a flag in the background" ... but
I almost wish we had some kind of an exception for these videos of
talking heads... it would cost a thousand bucks for that line, (unless
there is some kind of internal production facility).

 

Thoughts?

 

David MacDonald

www.eramp.com