Module 2.2: Audio Description Best Practices: What to Describe

Audio description makes video accessible to people who are blind or have low vision by narrating visual information. For government meetings, this means describing slides, charts, demonstrations, and visual content that conveys essential information.

This guide helps you create audio descriptions that genuinely serve your community while meeting WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance requirements.

What audio description does

Audio description is narration added to a video's soundtrack that describes important visual details. The narrator speaks during natural pauses, explaining what's happening on screen without interfering with the original audio.

For city council meetings, this might mean describing a zoning map when the planning director refers to specific parcels, identifying which council member is speaking during a debate, or explaining a physical demonstration of proposed streetscape improvements.

According to the CDC, approximately 12 million adults in the United States have vision difficulties. Like captions—which 80% of users watch without hearing difficulties—audio descriptions benefit many beyond the primary audience. People listening to archived meetings while commuting or accessing content on small screens all gain from audio narration of visual content.

WCAG 2.1 requirements

WCAG 2.1 Level AA Success Criterion 1.2.5 requires audio description for prerecorded video when visual information is essential to understanding. This applies to government meetings posted on your website.

The key question: if someone listened with their eyes closed, would they miss critical information? If yes, you need audio descriptions.

Common examples include presentation slides, maps, physical demonstrations, documents shown during public hearings, and budget charts. Meetings where all information is conveyed through dialogue typically don't require descriptions.

What to describe

The goal is to convey what people who are blind need to know to follow the discussion. You're describing what matters for comprehension, not narrating every visual detail.

Include these elements

Visual information that affects understanding: When a council member refers to "the red zone on this map" or "the chart showing last year's budget increase," describe what they're pointing to. The audio alone doesn't convey this information.

Speaker identification when unclear: If speakers aren't identified by voice, briefly note who's speaking. "Mayor Garcia leans forward to respond" or "Council Member Johnson stands to address the audience" provides essential context, especially during debates or public comment.

On-screen text and graphics: Read aloud text displayed on slides, charts, or documents. For complex graphics, summarize the key information rather than reading every data point. Focus on what the speaker is highlighting.

Physical actions that convey meaning: If someone demonstrates equipment, gestures to a location on a map, or holds up physical evidence, describe the action. Skip routine movements like drinking water or adjusting a microphone.

Setting and scene changes: When the meeting moves from the council chamber to a site visit video, or when the camera switches focus, briefly describe the new visual context.

Leave these out

Information already in the audio: If the speaker says, "as you can see in the third column, revenue increased by 12%," don't repeat those details. Describe additional visual information not mentioned.

Obvious or routine actions: Don't narrate every time someone sits down, looks at notes, or takes a sip of water. Focus your limited description time on information that matters.

Decorative or environmental details: Skip describing wall colors, furniture styles, or other visual details that don't convey information relevant to the meeting.

Personal appearance details: Avoid describing clothing, hair, or physical characteristics unless directly relevant. Focus on what people do and say, not how they look.

Your interpretations: Describe objectively what you see. Say "the mayor frowns," not "the mayor seems angry." Let listeners form their own conclusions.

How to write descriptions

Good audio descriptions require clear writing, objectivity, and focus on what truly matters.

Use clear, concise language

Write at an 8th-grade reading level using plain language. Choose simple words: "the chart shows home sales increased" not "the graphical representation indicates an upward trajectory in residential real estate transactions."

Keep sentences short. People are listening—they can't rewind to catch a complicated phrase. Avoid jargon unless necessary, and briefly define technical terms when you must use them.

Be objective and neutral

State what you see without interpretation or opinion. Your job is to describe, not editorialize.

Good: "The proposed site plan shows three buildings arranged in an L-shape with parking on the east side."

Poor: "The attractive site plan features three beautifully designed buildings cleverly arranged in an L-shape with convenient parking on the east side."

The poor example injects subjective judgments. Stick to observable facts. This applies to describing people's actions too: say "the council member shakes their head" rather than "the council member disagrees."

Prioritize essential information

Focus on information that directly supports understanding. If a planning member displays a 50-page report, describe the section they're discussing, not every page: "The report's executive summary shows three main impacts: traffic, noise, and water usage."

When time is limited, ask what single piece of visual information would help someone understand what the speaker just said or is about to say. Describe that first.

Match tone and pacing

Descriptions should match the meeting's tone. Formal meetings warrant professional delivery. Pace descriptions to fit naturally into pauses—the goal is seamless integration rather than interruption.

Timing and pacing strategies

Understanding when to fit descriptions into your recording is crucial for creating useful audio descriptions without disrupting flow.

Work with natural pauses

Standard audio description fits into existing pauses in dialogue. Listen for silent spaces—these are your windows for description. A three-second pause allows a brief sentence. A ten-second pause while someone loads a slide allows more detail.

Use extended audio description when needed

When pauses are insufficient, extended audio description pauses the video temporarily for additional narration. This is WCAG Success Criterion 1.2.7 at Level AAA—higher than most agencies require, but worth considering for complex or important visual content.

Prioritize when time is tight

When you can't describe everything, prioritize: information directly referenced in dialogue first, then data essential to decisions, then context, then supplementary details.

Script examples

These examples show how to describe common government meeting scenarios effectively.

Budget presentation

Visual: Bar chart showing departmental spending.

Description: "A bar chart compares spending across five departments. Public Safety shows the highest at 2.4 million dollars. Parks and Recreation shows the lowest at 800 thousand dollars."

Why it works: Conveys the essential information—chart type, what it compares, and key contrast—in the available pause. The speaker will likely discuss specific numbers, so every figure doesn't need description. Someone listening understands the overall comparison.

Site plan review

Visual: Planning applicant displays site plan while gesturing to different areas.

Description: "The site plan shows eight townhomes along the north side, a central green space in the middle, and parking along the southern border."

Why it works: Orients listeners using simple directional language and major elements. As the applicant discusses specific features, listeners have a mental map to follow. Doesn't include every detail like unit sizes—those emerge in discussion.

Emergency alert

Visual: Alert notification on smartphone screen shown via projector.

Description: "The screen shows an emergency alert on a smartphone. Red text at the top reads 'Severe Weather Warning.' The message says 'Tornado Watch until 8 PM. Seek shelter immediately.'"

Why it works: Reads the critical text and notes the visual element (red text) conveying urgency. Someone listening understands what people in the room see. Prioritizes message content over phone model or interface details.

Common government meeting scenarios

Planning and zoning discussions

These meetings feature maps, site plans, and architectural drawings. Orient listeners to what's shown and highlight features under discussion.

For maps: "The zoning map shows the downtown district bounded by First Street, Market Street, and the river. The proposed change affects three blocks along Main Street, marked in yellow."

For renderings: "The rendering shows a three-story mixed-use building. Retail spaces line the ground floor. The entrance faces Oak Street."

Budget presentations

Describe the visualization type, what it compares, and major findings. Don't read every number.

"The expense spreadsheet lists personnel costs by department. The speaker highlights the IT department's 15% increase from last year."

For trends: "The line graph shows property tax revenue rising steadily from 2020 through 2023, then leveling off in 2024."

Public hearings with visual evidence

When residents present photos or documents, describe what's shown: "The resident displays a photograph showing flooding in their backyard. Water covers the lawn and reaches the foundation."

Working with AI-generated descriptions

MediaScribe Narrate provides AI-powered audio description that automatically generates descriptions for prerecorded content. The AI analyzes visual elements and creates narration scripts, significantly reducing the time required to make archived meetings accessible.

AI descriptions provide a strong starting point, but human review ensures quality. The AI identifies visual elements reliably, but you understand context and can refine for clarity and emphasis.

Review AI scripts and verify: descriptions include everything essential, language matches your meeting's tone, local terms and names are accurate, and the descriptions make sense to someone who can't see the screen. Edit as needed—the AI handles identification work while you provide local expertise.

Quality checklist

Before finalizing descriptions, verify:

• Visual information referenced in dialogue is described

• On-screen text and graphics are conveyed accurately

• Descriptions fit naturally into pauses without talking over speakers

• Language, tone, and pacing match the meeting

• No unnecessary details or interpretations

• Speaker identification provided when needed

• Audio-only listeners could fully understand the discussion

Meeting your compliance requirements

Audio descriptions address WCAG 2.1 Success Criterion 1.2.5, which requires description for prerecorded video where visual information is essential. This is part of the Level AA standard government agencies must meet under the DOJ's ADA Title II final rule.

Archived meetings on your website need descriptions if they contain visual content like slides, maps, or demonstrations. Live meetings don't require audio descriptions under Level AA, though they must have live captions.

Routine discussions where everyone is identified by voice and no visual materials are presented typically don't need descriptions. When evaluating a meeting, consider whether someone listening to just audio would miss important information. When in doubt, provide descriptions.

Prioritizing your efforts

If you have years of archived meetings, prioritize: meetings with significant visual content, recent and relevant content, frequently accessed meetings, and legally significant decisions like budget adoptions.

A phased approach shows good faith effort while respecting resource constraints.

Building sustainable practices

Good audio description becomes easier with experience. As you develop descriptions, recognize patterns and create templates for recurring scenarios.

Document your approach

If your planning commission always uses the same zoning map, write a standard description you can adapt: "The zoning map shows residential, commercial, and industrial zones in green, red, and blue." Then describe only the specific areas under discussion in each meeting.

For consistent budget formats, create description language for the structure: "The department budget summary shows five columns: proposed expenses, last year's actual, the difference, percentage change, and notes." Then fill in specific numbers.

Store these templates where your team can access them easily. This speeds work and ensures consistency.

Train multiple staff members

Audio description shouldn't depend on one person. Train several staff members on best practices so work continues regardless of availability. Consider having different team members specialize in different meeting types—one focuses on planning materials, another on budget presentations.

Build it into your workflow

Make audio description a standard step for posting meeting recordings with visual content, not a special project. The investment pays off broadly.

Audio descriptions serve people who are blind directly, but improve the experience for many others. People listening while commuting, reviewing meetings on small screens, and non-native English speakers who rely on visual context all benefit. This is the "curb cut effect"—a feature designed for one group's needs improves access for everyone.