Part One - Captioning and Audio Description
What is captioning?
Captioning is the presentation of the audio component of audio-visual content as text on screen. It is generally intended to assist viewers with a hearing impairment.
Captions include descriptions of sounds, laughter and music and are usually situated on screen to minimise interference with the picture. Captions are timed to appear with speech and are usually coloured and positioned to indicate who is speaking. Where speaker identification is not relevant, captions are usually in the form of white writing on a black backdrop.
Two types of captioning are generally used: closed and open. In relation to television captioning, closed captions are encoded into the television signal as teletext data, which can be decoded and viewed with a teletext decoder or teletext capable television. Open captions are overlayed or ‘burnt’ onto the original print recording of a program and do not require a teletext decoder.
What is audio description?
Audio description is the presentation of the visual component of audio-visual content as additional verbal commentary that complements the underlying soundtrack. It is generally intended to assist people with a vision impairment. A narrator describes speakers, gestures, facial expressions, scene changes, text on screen and other visual information on a separate pre-recorded digital file that is synchronised with the file of a television program or film. The audio description is generally transmitted to the consumer via headphones.
Who uses captioning and audio description?
Captioning is used by viewers of television, DVD, film and cinema services who:
- are deaf
- have a hearing impairment
- are learning English (captions assist in the pronunciation of words)
- are developing literacy skills—including children learning to read and
- are viewing content in a noisy environment, such as in clubs and gyms.
Audio description is used by consumers of visual media who:
- are blind
- have a vision impairment
- have difficulties reading print, such as colour blindness
- have learning difficulties and
- have physical difficulties interacting with print and visual media.
