The Needs of the Visually Impaired for the Audio Description for Television Programs

Abstract

     This survey research studies the needs of the visually impaired regarding Audio Description (AD) for television programs. Questionnaires were used to collect data from 70 visually impaired students in Grades 4-6 from seven schools under the Foundation for the Blind in Thailand under Royal Patronage countrywide. The data were then analyzed for statistics by finding mean, percentage, and standard deviation. The study found that the majority of the sample did not know that Audio Description were available on television programs. They also opined that there were not enough television programs suitable for promote or support the exposure of visually impaired people. The sample group had a high level of overall priority needs of Audio Descriptions for television programs. In terms of content, they would like to have programs with interesting, realistic, and accurate content. They also wanted more Audio Description for news programs, children and youth programs, and series. The detailed Audio Description for news programs, and clear sound describing everything on screen including parts with music or without original sound were needed.