Audio description training: A snapshot of the current practices

Figures & data

Table 1. Respondent roles

Role	No. of responses (86 participants)	Percentage of respondents
University teacher	54	63%
Audio describer	48	56%
Researcher	43	50%
Representative of a company providing AD	25	29%
Representative of a non-profit organisation	12	14%
Voice artist	11	13%
AD user	11	13%
Representative of a broadcasting company	2	2%

Table 2. Cooperation with blind and visually impaired persons when teaching AD

How often?	No. of responses (82 participants)	Percentage of respondents
Always	19	23%
Often	20	24.5%
Sometimes	20	24.5%
Rarely	18	22%
Never	5	6%

Table 3. AD teaching by type

AD type	No. of responses (86 participants)	Percentage of respondents
Screen	71	83%
Museums	48	56%
Theatre	35	41%
Other live events	27	31%
Visuals in teaching materials	18	21%
Opera	16	19%
Other	21	24%

Table 4. Skills taught in academic and non-academic AD courses

Skill	Academic courses	Non-academic courses
AD drafting	87%	91%
Raising awareness of the needs of people with visual impairment	76%	87%
AD voicing	29%	46%
Using AD software	27%	30%
AD recording	25%	35%
Translation of existing ADs into the students’ mother tongue	24%	16%

Table 5. Activities exploited in academic and non-academic AD courses

Activities	Academic courses	Non-academic courses
Practical exercises	91%	94%
Presentation of AD theory	84%	58%
Discussion of AD guidelines	84%	78%
Analysis of existing ADs	91%	72%

Table 6. Scores for importance of competences

Skill or knowledge	Total score	Academic courses	Non-academic courses	t value	p value
Choosing the most relevant information to describe	4.87	4.80	4.84	−0.36	.72
Perfect use of mother tongue	4.70	4.84	4.46	1.92	.06
Knowledge of the needs of the visually impaired	4.65	4.16	4.69	−0.53	.59
Choosing appropriate AD strategies (e.g. deciding when to name a character)	4.46	4.38	4.46	−0.48	.63
Technical aspects (editing, timing, text compression)	4.32	4.11	4.50	−1.75	.08
Knowledge of cinematography, theatre, arts and/or semiotics of the image	3.84	3.65	3.92	−1.18	.24
Vocal skills	3.52	3.07	4.00	−2.70	.009*
ICT related skills (using appropriate software, etc.)	3.51	3.30	3.46	−0.63	.52
Reflecting filmic language (editing and camerawork) in AD	3.22	3.03	3.15	−0.36	.72

Table 7. Scores for the importance of transferrable skills

Transferable skill	Total score	Academic courses	Non-academic courses	t value	p value
Efficient work organisation and time management	4.45	4.30	4.50	−0.89	.37
Observance of ethics	4.29	4.26	4.23	0.17	.86
Self-development	4.15	4.23	4.15	0.35	.72
Teamwork	4.11	3.96	4.11	−0.52	.60