Aug 5, 2025 3:41:26 PM

Audio Description: a tool for clarity not just accessibility

When you hear the term audio description, your mind might jump to a headset in a theatre or a narrated film track made for people who are blind or have low vision. And while yes, audio description (AD) originated to improve visual media access for blind audiences, it's time we reframe it.

AD is not a niche tool. It's a communication asset.

Emerging research from 2024 and beyond points to an exciting truth: AD benefits almost everyone—from neurodivergent individuals and second-language learners to commuters and casual multitaskers.

Think of it like captions. Once thought to serve only the d/Deaf or hard of hearing, captions are now a default in many viewing environments. The same shift is happening with audio description.

Whether you’re watching content while cooking, learning in a noisy classroom, struggling with cognitive overload, or trying to stay engaged in a fast-paced work video, AD brings clarity, context, and emotional depth.

A recent study from Translation & Interpreting Research (2024) found that AD enhances comprehension, retention, and focus for sighted audiences in both education and public environments. Another found that AD transformed astronomy shows into more immersive experiences for sighted audiences—not just more accessible ones.

Not Just Helpful – Enjoyable

The creative applications of audio description are flourishing. In theatre and dance, AD is now being woven into performances not as an afterthought, but as part of the art. Companies like Stopgap Dance Company have incorporated AD live on stage, and the result? More engaged audiences. Sighted patrons report feeling more immersed, more emotionally connected, and often more moved.

So, what’s stopping wider adoption?

Is It Too Hard or Expensive? Not Anymore.

There’s a lingering perception that AD is complex, costly, and only justifiable for legal compliance or specialist audiences.

That’s out of date.

New tools in 2024, including AI-driven AD software and browser plug-ins, are making the process faster, more scalable, and even personalisable. Projects like CustomAD (arXiv, 2024) show how user-controlled descriptions improve engagement for all users—sighted or not. And platforms like YouTube and Meta are already testing AD automation in beta.

In short: AD isn’t hard. It just needs to be built in.

Like alt text or captions, it’s something you consider early, embed often, and improve as you go.

Why Businesses Should Care

Accessibility isn't just a checkbox. It's brand value. It’s engagement. It’s inclusion.

And with digital content becoming increasingly visual—through videos, dashboards, virtual events, and animations—AD is fast becoming a critical layer of communication, not a bonus feature.

In fact, many organisations are starting to integrate AD into their digital accessibility protocols under the WCAG 2.2 and AS EN 301 549 standards (Australia’s recognised ICT accessibility standard). It’s good practice, not just good ethics.

So What Now?

Start small. Consider adding audio descriptions to onboarding videos, training modules, or social content. Use simple scripting and voiceover. Try auto tools with human QA. Embed it as part of your content planning—not post-production patchwork.

Audio Description doesn’t just open doors for people who are blind.

It enriches the experience for all of us.

Below is a list of articles referenced in this blog in case you want to dive in deeper on this topic.

1. "Exploring the Inclusive Potential of Audio Description"

Translation & Interpreting Research (TIR), 2024

https://tir.atu.ac.ir/article_18827_5643d16777194b6193a435936b1ae942.pdf

2. "Evaluation and Insights from a Sonification-Based Planetarium Show for Blind and Sighted Audiences"

arXiv.org, January 2024

https://arxiv.org/abs/2401.04188

3. "The Art of Audio Description Can Turn Dance into a Moving Experience for All"

The Guardian, November 2024

https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2024/nov/03/audio-description-dancers-stopgap-lived-fiction