eDESCRIPTION PROJECT: EXTENDED, ENHANCED, EDUCATIONAL DESCRIPTIONS

The following was provided to the AFB Solution Forum by WGBH/NCAM and is used with permission.

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) WGBH National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM) proposes to adapt broadcast description methodologies for use with classroom media to improve access to and participation in the curricula for students with visual impairments. The use of visual materials in the field of education has grown at an enormous rate. The importance of accurate and effective verbal description in a visually rich learning environment is essential for students with limited vision if they are to access the information embedded in today's visual media.

NCAM is analyzing, amending and expanding current description practices to create an eDescription methodology, which will build on current research on cognition in children who are visually impaired. Working with a team of highly qualified advisors, NCAM is exploring the potential of eDescription as a curriculum adaptation to provide access to content and meaning in software, video, illustration and other visual materials. The eDescription Project will also contribute to the advancement of theory, knowledge and practices related to the strategic use of eDescription as an instructional tool.

One of the major goals of the eDescription Project is to develop a conceptual framework that will guide the creation of effective description of visual educational materials. Drawing on what has been learned about audio description, this project is examining the potential of extended, enhanced, educational descriptions to assist students with a vision loss in obtaining factual and conceptual information more nearly equivalent to that obtained by sighted students.

eDescription includes "extended descriptions," defined as the communication of key visual information which requires a longer time period than that allowed by pauses in the media. eDescription also includes "enhanced descriptions," defined as additional information and cues specifically designed to address cognition issues experienced by children with visual impairment. Together, these techniques constitute an entirely new approach, which results in "educational descriptions."

eDescription is similar to the audio narration provided on a number of PBS broadcasts as well as movies (including drama, nature, science, children's programs, and documentaries). Description, like that done by WGBH Descriptive Video Service inserts description into spaces between dialogue sequences. In many educational programs, these spaces are simply too short to provide adequate information about what is being conveyed by still or moving images.

Using technology developed by NCAM, eDescription extends the narrative elements by pausing the video image while description continues. In this way it is possible to provide the student with a far more complete conceptual "picture" of what is appearing visually. eDescription makes it possible to include additional details that children with vision pick up incidentally, thus supplementing the general knowledge acquired by the students with vision loss.

The same framework used for creating eDescription for video or multimedia can also be used for description of visuals within a book. Though some images in books have been included in recorded texts in the past, the quality of such descriptions has often varied greatly. It has also been a problem to know where to insert such description in the recorded book. The soon to be released "Digital Talking Book" format will make including eDescription easier. The reader will be able to turn the description on and off to suit individual reading needs.

NCAM is evaluating and refining the eDescription methodology with students, teachers and parents using segments of a major health education curriculum. NCAM is also soliciting input from students, teachers and parents about the potential role of eDescription in classroom and homework practices, and its contribution to independence.

Project results will serve all children with visual impairment but will most notably address challenges faced by mainstreamed students and general education teachers. Project results will apply to video, graphics, animation, illustrations, et al., presented and delivered in wide variety of media. Future delivery methods for eDescription files are many and scalable-from an audio tape delivered via regular mail to web-delivered audio direct from the publisher or from a server of a designated educational site or via digital television.

For more information contact:

Rick Ely Ed.D.
eDescription Project Manager
(617) 300-3401
E-mail: rick_ely@wgbh.org

Terry Maggiore M.Ed., COMS
eDescription Project Coordinator
(617) 300-3469
E-mail: terry_maggiore@wgbh.org

http//main.wgbh.org/wgbh/pages/ncam/edescription/

Funding for this Project is provided by the U.S. Department Education through the Steppingstones of Technology Innovation for Students with Disabilities Program.