ABSTRACT
Audio description has been an object of study for scholars working in Audiovisual Translation and Media Accessibility since the early 2000s. This chapter aims to offer a brief overview of the scholarly research undertaken so far. The first part, which will focus on screen audio description, will summarize what researchers have learnt after studying filmic, linguistic, narrative and practical aspects of audio description scripts. It will then review what we have learnt from viewers of audio described materials in studies dealing with filmic and technical aspects of audio description, as well as in those exploring the users’ recall, comprehension, immersion and emotional response. The second part of the chapter, which will cover non-screen audio description, will begin by introducing readers to the scholarly work undertaken in museums and cultural venues. It will first present the main findings from studies exploring audio description texts, practitioners and end-users, before covering the existing research dealing with the audio description of live events.
