At this interactive, multi-media session, participants will experience how Audio Description (AD) makes visual images accessible for people who are blind or have low vision—the visual is made verbal. Using words that are succinct, vivid, and imaginative, describers convey the visual image that is not fully accessible to a significant segment of the population: 25.2 million Americans who are blind or have trouble seeing even with correction (American Foundation for the Blind, 2008).

Through this hands-on workshop, describer training will be detailed according to the Fundamentals of Audio Description developed by Joel Snyder, set forth in his essay "Audio Description: The Visual Made Verbal" in "The Didactics of Audio Visual Translation" edited by Dr Jorge Diaz-Cintas. Participants will experience how description makes media, performing and visual arts programming, live (one-time) events, websites and myriad activities more accessible to patrons who are blind or have low vision — and more enjoyable for all.

The need for audio-visual translators with training in audio description is growing world-wide. In the United States, the Americans With Disabilities Act and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act focus on access for people with disabilities; these regulations apply to the broad range of American businesses and organisations as well as Federal agencies. Section 508 requires the Federal government to make its electronic and information technology accessible to people with disabilities. Inaccessible media interferes with an individual's ability to obtain and use information quickly and easily. In addition, pending legislation (now with almost 50 co-sponsors in the United States House of Representatives and a newly introduced act in the United State Senate, already with 3 co-sponsors) would mandate the inclusion of description for broadcast television; similar regulations already exist in the U.K. and other nations.