Audio Description Project ~ AD International

Audio Description Advocate

Each month we feature someone who has been a great advocate for audio description in some capacity. This month's Advocate is:

Nancy Van Voorhis

Since her training in audio description by Alan Woods (December's AD Advocate) in 1993, Nancy Van Voorhis has been refining her skills and utilizing them as widely as possible, describing hundreds of live events in the visual and performing arts. In addition to being a long-time film and theatre describer for Accessible Arts of Central Ohio, she has conducted training classes for new describers in Columbus and elsewhere.

Read Nancy's story

Audio Description Achievement Award for Research and Development Named in Dr. Margaret Pfanstiehl's Memory

Margaret Pfanstiehl, founder of the Metropolitan Washington Ear and pioneer (along with her late husband Cody) of audio description in 1981, died on September 28th. Mitch Pomerantz, President of the American Council of the Blind, announced that "The dedication of this award to Dr. Pfanstiehl's memory seems particularly appropriate given her tireless efforts to establish the foundation of something that never existed before -- an ongoing audio description service. That work has been replicated all over the world and that's the real tribute." The Achievement Award for Research is made to an individual for outstanding published research that leads to the advancement of audio description.

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First Audio Described DVDs of 2010

The first two audio described DVDs of 2010 are now available: Love Happens and Zombieland. The ones for 2009 are: District 9, Julie & Julia, Public Enemies, Funny People, Bruno, The Ugly Truth, Disney-Pixar's Up, The Taking of Pelham 123, Land of the Lost, and Miracle Worker. We'll see many more this year as Universal Pictures has agreed (like Sony) to include description tracks on all their first-run movies which have description. See our list of audio described DVDs. - updated Feb 3

A Glimpse at the Future: Talking TV Menus

In the UK, the RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People) has been working with several companies to develop advanced Text-To-Speech technology for digital set top boxes and TVs. The objective is to bring true accessibility to TV features that are difficult for people who are blind to navigate. Read more about "Talking TV". - posted Jan 17

Courts Hear Arguments as to Why Movie Theaters Must Offer Audio Description and Closed Captioning.

On Wednesday January 13th, a federal San Francisco Court of Appeals heard arguments about whether movie theaters must offer services like captioning or audio descriptions. The theaters attorney said, "We have the right to choose what services we provide, and that is our choice." The judges replied, in so many words, that the theaters' position was preposterous. Read an interesting blog reporting on this case. And here's a legal site's report. - posted Jan 14, updated Jan 22

Audio Described
White House Tour

Jean Shiner recently toured the White House and -- after significant effort -- got the tour audio described! Read her story. - posted Nov 12

Disneyland Offers AD

Disneyland in California follows the lead of Disney World in Florida in now offering a handheld audio description device for 19 attractions, with more to follow. Read an article on Disneyland's AD device. - posted Nov 7

The Audio Description Project's website, AD International (ADI), collects and provides information on audio description in all its forms: live theatre, television, movies, DVDs, and more. Started in 2002 by AD International, funding and direction for this website now come from the American Council of the Blind's Audio Description Project (started in March 2009).

Audio Description (AD) is the descriptive narration of key visual elements of live theatre, television, movies, and other media to enhance their enjoyment by consumers who are blind or have low vision. AD is the insertion of audio explanations and descriptions of the settings, characters, and action taking place in such media, when such information about these visual elements is not offered in the regular audio presentation.

Dedicated organizations around the world facilitate the offering of audio description in select movie theaters, videos, live theatre, and television programming, and this website attempts to expose their fine work to as many interested viewers as possible. Thank you for visiting!

Audio Description Project Conference Summary

Please visit the ADP Conference Summary of the 3-day July 2009 conference.

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