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Audio Visual Case Studies

[Author: Bill Fischer]

Overview

This section is focused on comparisons between tradition and integrated captions and audio descriptions. Traditional methods are focused on separate and unequal accessible design strategies. Integrated design strategies aim to create universal, and qualitatively equal experiences.

Case study: Traditional Versus Integrated Captioning

Participants were shown two videos, one with traditional captions, and one with integrated captions. After each viewing, they were asked to evaluate their own experiences through surveys. There were 28 subjects, all adults, with a wide age range from twenties to sixties. The goal of the study was to determine which approach provided the better experience.

Traditional Captions

This segment from 'The Diatribe' video, created as part of The Epic Project, demonstrates the task-switching challenge of reading captions and watching the action. These spoken word poets emotions are an important part of the performance. Missing the 'emotional action' will diminish the experience for deaf and hearing impaired persons. Watch the full Diatribe video and see the credits here (external link).

Diatribe-Captions-Example-Trimmed.mp4

Integrated Captions

This segment from the 'Anxiety' video, created as part of The Epic Project, features organically integrated captions that aim to reduce the task-switching burden and eliminate the stigmatization that can be experienced in group settings when the obvious 'fix' of traditional captions is utilized. Watch the full Anxiety animation and see the credits here (external link).

Anxiety-IntegratedCaptions-Trimmed Case Study.mp4

Survey Results: Traditional Captions

Which of these did you experience while watching the video and reading the captions

(78%) Rapid task switching between reading captions and watching the actors

(89%) Feeling pressured to read quickly in order to ‘keep up’

(67%) Missing some of the actors emotional expressiveness?

(56%) Missing much of the actors emotional expressiveness?

(11%) None of the above

Survey Results: Integrated Captions

Which of these did you experience while watching the video and reading the integrated text?

(63%) I was able to both read the captions and process the graphics most of the time

(37%) I was able to both read the captions and process the graphics all of the time

(88%) The integrated captions felt like they were simply part of the animation and not ‘added on’?

(0%) none of the above

Note: These early experiments with integrated captions have yielded good results, but there is room for improvement. As we continue to create and test video with integrated captions we will learn how to optimize them.

Case Study: Integrated Audio Descriptions

Participants were shown a videos with integrated audio descriptions. After viewing, they were asked to evaluate their own experiences through a survey. There were 28 subjects, all adults, with a wide age range from twenties to sixties. The goal of the study was to determine the efficacy of the organically integrated audio descriptions in a particular animated video.

Integrated Audio Descriptions

This segment from the 'Harlem Hellfighters' video, created as part of The Epic Project, features organically integrated audio descriptions that aim to reduce the intrusiveness of traditional audio descriptions and eliminate the stigmatization that can be experienced in group settings when the obvious 'fix' of traditional audio descriptions is utilized. Watch the full Anxiety animation and see the credits here (external link).

Audio-Descriptions-Hellfighters.mp4

Survey Results: Integrated Audio Descriptions

How was your experience with this integrated audio-described video?

(40%) The video matched very well with what I visualized

(40%) The video matched somewhat well with what I visualized

(20%) The video did not not match well with what I visualized

Note: These early experiments with integrated audio descriptions have yielded good results, but there is room for improvement. As we continue to create and test video with integrated captions we will learn how to optimize them. However, it's important to consider how blind and visually-impaired persons experience the visual world in their minds and whether measuring the accuracy of visual information matters very much. It is likely more important to provide enough information for them to process the described visual events in their own manner.

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