Re: Seeking clarity regarding the terminology in Success Criterion 1.2.5 Audio Description

Fantastic resources, Shawn. Thanks.

On 5/17/2022 4:11 PM, Shawn Henry wrote:
> Hi, Greg,
>
> In many cases "integrated description" included in the main video is 
> the best solution. I hope that you find useful information for your 
> situation in the W3C WAI resource "Making Audio and Video Media 
> Accessible", particularly:
> * https://www.w3.org/WAI/media/av/description/
> * https://www.w3.org/WAI/media/av/av-content/#integrate-description
>
> Hopefully that resource also clears up misunderstandings in this 
> e-mail thread about WCAG requirements at Level A, AA, AAA and meeting 
> people's accessibility needs and preferences.
>
> ---
>
> Indeed the WCAG information could be made more clear, and better cover 
> current technology and options. I encourage you to submit suggestions 
> to improve the wording in the Understanding document. (We can't change 
> the wording in WCAG itself.) It's best if you can submit a GitHub Pull 
> Request. Alternatively, you can use a form or send e-mail. 
> Instructions are here: 
> https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/commenting/
>
> If you have suggestions for the "Making Audio and Video Media 
> Accessible" resource, you can use the e-mail or GitHub links near the 
> end of the page in the 'Help improve this page' box.
>
> Best,
> ~Shawn
> <http://www.w3.org/People/Shawn/>
>
>
> On 17-May-22 4:46 PM, Greg Jellin wrote:
>> Peter,
>>
>> I hear what you are saying, that using only existing pauses may 
>> provide an excuse to provide limited AD, if interpreted that way.
>>
>> But my main concern is whether the SC requires the AD, no matter how 
>> brief, to be included in the integrated (main) soundtrack or is it 
>> required to be a separate sound track. I know the answer to this (at 
>> least I think I do), but the language used in both the SC and the 
>> Understanding regarding the term Audio Description is ambiguous.
>>
>> This ambiguity creates a lot of confusion amongst A11y folks as well 
>> as our clients. I am currently defending a VPAT in which a potential 
>> client is making the claim that because a separate AD track is not 
>> provided that we are failing 1.2.5.
>>
>> Greg
>>
>>
>> On 5/17/2022 2:08 PM, Peter Shikli wrote:
>>> Greg,
>>>
>>> Indeed there is lots of confusion regarding that. The simplest way 
>>> to understand it is that WCAG 2.1 to a level AA rating requires only 
>>> that you fit the audio description in the pauses between dialog, 
>>> whereas a level AAA satisfies the requirement with a separate MP3 
>>> audio file that accompanies the video. This latter is called an 
>>> extended audio description. We are big fans of producing such 
>>> extended audio descriptions compared to the minimalist version to 
>>> comply at the AA level.
>>>
>>> Among other things, many videos do not provide a time slice between 
>>> the dialog to adequately describe the scene. The level AA rating 
>>> says it's OK to shortchange the blind in this regard. It's also much 
>>> harder to embed such a AA audio description as a track on the few 
>>> video players that support it. I can think of more reasons, but this 
>>> is why we have produced a fully functional sound studio as part of 
>>> our accessibility services with trained voiceover artists.
>>>
>>> Extended audio descriptions are the right way to meet the needs of 
>>> the blind.
>>>
>>> Cheers,
>>> Peter Shikli
>>> Access2online Inc.
>>> 29030 SW Town Center Loop East
>>> Suite 202-187
>>> Wilsonville, OR 97070
>>> 503-570-6831 - pshikli@access2online.com
>>> Cell: 949-677-3705
>>> FAX: 503-582-8337
>>> www.access2online.com <http://www.access2online.com>
>>> Prison inmates helping the internet become accessible
>>>
>>> On Tue, May 17, 2022 at 1:35 PM Greg Jellin <greg@gregjellin.com> 
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>     Warning, it is a bit challenging to describe my concern so this 
>>> is a bit verbose.
>>>
>>>     Success Criterion 1.2.5 Audio Description (Prerecorded) states, 
>>> "Audio description is provided for all prerecorded video content in 
>>> synchronized media."
>>>
>>>     In the normative part of the SC there are no exceptions, thus my 
>>> interpretation is that an Audio Description is always required for 
>>> synchronized media. Where it gets tricky for me is the definition of 
>>> Audio Description.
>>>
>>>     When reading the Understanding (non-normative) doc for 1.2.5 the 
>>> term Audio Description appears to me to be ambiguously defined. I 
>>> would argue that the term is being used in some parts of the 
>>> document to mean a separate audio track that augments the integrated 
>>> (main) audio of the synchronized media to describe visual details, 
>>> but in other parts to mean a description of visual details that may 
>>> be in the integrated audio OR a separate audio track.
>>>
>>>     So which is is it? Is Audio Description defined describing in 
>>> audio the visual content as separate track? Or, is Audio Description 
>>> defined as describing in audio the visual content within the 
>>> integrated (main) audio OR as a separate track.
>>>
>>>     This is important, because if WCAG defines Audio Description as 
>>> always being a separate track, then the SC (normative) requires a 
>>> separate track for all synchronized media.
>>>
>>>     Some examples of ambiguous language:
>>>
>>>     /In the Understanding doc (Note section below "Intent") the 
>>> following is stated, "For 1.2.3, 1.2.5, and 1.2.7, if all of the 
>>> information in the video track is already provided in the audio 
>>> track, no audio description is necessary."/
>>>
>>>     My interpretation of that language is that audio description is 
>>> a separate track, but is only necessary if the main audio track does 
>>> not sufficiently describe the visual content. The problem is that 
>>> this directly conflicts with the SC, "Audio description is provided 
>>> for ALL..."
>>>
>>>     /In the Key Terms section audio description is defined as 
>>> "//narration added to the soundtrack to describe important visual 
>>> details that cannot be understood from the main soundtrack alone".
>>>     /
>>>
>>>     Again, this implies that there is a 2nd (separate) soundtrack.
>>>
>>>     My sense is that the term Audio Description is being used to 
>>> have two different meanings (ambiguous). In the SC statement it 
>>> means that the visual content must be described (either in the 
>>> integrated audio or a separate audio track) and in the Understanding 
>>> doc it means explicitly a separate audio track.
>>>
>>>     Thoughts?
>>>
>>>     Greg
>>>

Received on Tuesday, 17 May 2022 23:19:13 UTC