Environment
Canvas
MiVideo Mediaspace (Kaltura)
Issue
What is an audio description (AD) and how can it be added to videos in Canvas and MiVideo Mediaspace?
Video must be uploaded to your My Media in Canvas or Mediaspace to use this service.
Closed captions, language translation captions, and audio language translation (dubbing) are separate services; see the Order Captions for Media, Order Language Translation Captions for Media and Audio Language Translation for Media articles.
Resolution
What is an Audio Description (AD)?
Audio description is a verbal portrayal of visual content in media. AD can assist blind and visually impaired people by describing key visual content necessary for comprehension of the media.
Listening to AD in the Kaltura Media Player
Videos in Canvas and MiVideo Mediaspace with audio description have a separate audio track for the AD which combines the existing audio with a spoken description of onscreen action where no other speech exists. Only one audio track can be played at a time in the Kaltura media player. Audio tracks can be changed in the Kaltura media player by clicking on the musical note icon in the lower right corner of the player and selecting a different track.
Example video with Professional AD
Sing A Song of Six Pants Audio Description Example
Professional human-generated AD
Professional audio descriptions can be ordered with a shortcode. Please complete the MiVideo Captioning, Transcription & Audio Descriptions Request Form.
Currently, Kaltura contracts with 3PlayMedia to generate audio descriptions for videos. This is a premium fee-based service. It is not free.
- AD by 3PlayMedia is only generated during gaps in audio (not including music or other background noise); for best results your recording should have pauses in the dialog.
- The AD script is created by a professional AD captioner.
- The AD voice is a male sounding machine-generated voice.
- AD is returned as a second audio track that is a combination of the original audio and the description.
- Price is based on turnaround time. See the ordering form for estimated costs.
Ordering Professional AD
- Video must be uploaded to your My Media in Canvas or Mediaspace to use this service.
- AD requests produce a separate audio track.
- The cost is based on the length of the recording rounded up the next minute (not the number of minutes of audio description created). For example, a recording with a length of 10 minutes and 1 second will be charged for 11 minutes.
- The recording length can be edited down as necessary, see the Utilizing Video Editor article.
- The ITS-MiVideo team will need a shortcode and authorized signer approval to place the order.
- The ITS-MiVideo team will email the requester once the order is completed.
User-generated AD
User-generated audio descriptions are not supported by Kaltura, however the ITS-MiVideo team can assist with user-generated AD requests for free. You must create your own voice over audio track to use as the AD.
The Video Editor in MiVideo does not have the capability to add voiceover. Instead use video editing software such as Adobe Premiere Rush. See the Add Voiceover to a Video Using Adobe Premiere Rush article for details on how to create an MP4 video with voiceover. Other video editing software applications can also be used to add a voiceover track in a similar fashion.
Both videos must be uploaded to your My Media in Canvas or Mediaspace to use this service. See the following section for best practices when creating your own AD. Please complete the MiVideo Captioning, Transcription & Audio Descriptions Request Form.
Best practices for creating AD
- Audio description is a separate audio track with the AD voice over injected into the original audio track; AD audio tracks are not played in conjunction with the original audio track
- Inject AD only when necessary for the listener to understand important visual detail.
- Inject AD during gaps in audio (not including music or other background noise); for best results your recording should have pauses in the dialog.
- Adjust the audio level of the original audio in sync with the voice over.
- 3PlayMedia website has a list of Quality Audio Description Standards.
Additional Information
For additional questions, please contact the ITS Service Center