Audio Description is the translation of visual information into words, typically spoken.
The primary audience for Audio Description are individuals who are blind or have low vision. Audio Description benefits such individuals by expanding inclusivity, enabling them to understand and experience important visual information on a par with their sighted peers.
Audio Description also benefits individuals who are deafblind or have other sensory disabilities, people who have cognitive or intellectual disabilities, those who are auditory learners or language learners, individuals who are neurodivergent, and those who wish to listen to the description while using their vision to perform another task.
An Audio Describer is a professional who is trained and skilled at creating vivid descriptions of key visual elements, the Audio Description itself. An Audio Describer can be blind, have low vision, or be sighted.
Audio Description can be created across a wide range of visual experiences, including, but not limited to:
- Live performances or events including theater, operas, dance, lectures, classes, meetings, training sessions, conferences, concerts, tours, parades, theme parks, sports, and community-based events
- Works of art, including painting, sculpture, photography, etc.
- Installations, and exhibits including museums, galleries, welcome or visitor centers, and indoor or outdoor displays
- Prerecorded or live media, including film or theatrical releases, movie trailers, television broadcasts, streaming services, DVDs, educational or training videos, 3-D imagery, virtual reality, or any other pre-recorded digital media such as interactive kiosks, touchscreens, and video games.
- Outdoor attractions including national/state/local parks, festivals, and fairs
- Internet-based content, web-based imagery and videos, as well as online courses
- Graphic novels and picture books.
- Content included in social media, and other existing and emerging technologies
- Area description, including layout, size, orientation, and visual inventories of public or educational facilities, and entertainment, cultural, and sports venues
- Indoor or outdoor spaces, such as hiking trails, parade routes, cruise ships, walking tours