Technique SM6:Providing audio description in SMIL 1.0

Applicability

Applies whenever SMIL 1.0 player is available

This technique relates to:

1.2.3: Audio Description or Media Alternative (Prerecorded) (Sufficient when used with G173: Providing a version of a movie with audio descriptions)
1.2.5: Audio Description (Prerecorded) (Sufficient when used with G173: Providing a version of a movie with audio descriptions)

Description

The objective of this technique is to provide a way for people who are blind or otherwise have trouble seeing the video in audio-visual material to be able to access the material. With this technique a description of the video is provided via audio description that will fit into the gaps in the dialogue in the audio-visual material.

Examples

Example 1: SMIL 1.0 audio description sample for QuickTime player

   
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<smil xmlns:qt="http://www.apple.com/quicktime/resources/smilextensions" 
  xmlns="https://www.w3.org/TR/REC-smil" qt:time-slider="true">
  <head>
    <layout>
      <root-layout background-color="black" height="266" width="320"/>
      <region id="videoregion" background-color="black" top="26" left="0" 
      height="144" width="320"/>
    </layout>
  </head>
  <body>
    <par>
      <video dur="0:01:20.00" region="videoregion" src="salesdemo.mov" 
      alt="Sales Demo"/>
      <audio dur="0:01:20.00" src="salesdemo_ad.mp3" 
      alt="Sales Demo Audio Description"/>
    </par>
  </body>
</smil>

Example 2: SMIL 1.0 audio description sample for RealTime player

 
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<smil xmlns="https://www.w3.org/TR/REC-smil">
  <head>
    <layout>
      <root-layout background-color="black" height="266" width="320"/>
      <region id="videoregion" background-color="black" top="26" left="0" 
      height="144" width="320"/>
    </layout>
  </head>
  <body>
    <par>
      <video src="salesdemo.mov" region="videoregion" title="Sales Demo" 
      alt="Sales Demo"/>
      <audio src="salesdemo_ad.mp3" title="audio description" 
      alt="Sales Demo Audio Description"/>
    </par>
  </body>
</smil>

Other sources

No endorsement implied.

Tests

Procedure

Find method for turning on audio description from content/player (unless it is always played by default)
Play file with audio description
Check whether audio description is played

Expected Results

#3 is true