VISUALLY IMPAIRED CHILDREN GET VIDEO LINE

Howard Riell

VIENNA, Va. -- The video business is working to ensure that no child gets left behind when it comes to learning.

The National Captioning Institute here, along with Sesame Workshop, New York, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, and Sony Wonder, also in New York, is introducing the technology of audio description on Sesame Street DVDs to make these programs accessible to children who are blind or have low vision, an audience estimated to be more than 12 million Americans.

NCI's Described Media division is producing three new Sesame Street DVDs coming out in late summer and early fall: "Friends to the Rescue," "All Star Alphabet" and "Elmo Visits the Doctor."

"Sesame Workshop has always been committed to bringing Sesame Street's rich content and beloved characters to all children with the hopes of fostering a love of learning," said Heather Hanssen, director of video business development, Sesame Workshop.

The process provides concise and vivid descriptions of a program's visual elements enabling viewers to "see" colors, costumes, settings, facial expressions, gestures and actions.

Description writers select words that bring lasting images to life that not only enable those who are visually impaired to enjoy televised or recorded programs, but also enhance the experience for all program viewers. Selected descriptions are added during pauses in the dialogue within the program without disrupting the original soundtrack, according to the company.

The descriptions also allow children without physical challenges to enhance their vocabulary and articulation skills as well as improve their understanding of word associations. In addition, the company said its descriptions allow parents and other family members who are visually impaired to enjoy these videos along with the children.