It's easy for a sighted audio describer to forget the enormous quantity and the varied quality of information processed with our eyes. Describers must convey, with the words they choose and the tone of their voices, the visual images that comprise a given event. The describer must be careful not to obscure the described event with too much commentary. So far, audio description has received rave reviews from users. Until I heard the audio described version, I never fully enjoyed and appreciated this well-crafted play.
Artists can often discover new modes of expression as they embrace a greater range of accessibility.
In a broad range of artistic activity, audio description is one of the newest developments to make the arts totally accessible to everyone. Since it is estimated that there are more than 10 million legally blind Americans, audio description represents a landmark in technology for accessible arts programs, made even more timely with the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Audio description now enables all arts lovers to clearly hear what they may not see. Click here for two audio description samples. He is the Chair of the Steering Committee for the newly-formed service organization Audio Description International.