Raquel Sanz, University of Valencia
This paper reflects on how audio description acts as a safeguard for the access to culture of visually impaired persons. After reviewing the international, European and national legislation on accessibility, the paper focuses on the current situation of audio description in Spain, paying attention to users and, especially, professional descriptors and their work. Descriptors play an essential and complex role: not only are they privileged intermediaries between the audiovisual product and the visually impaired, but also, given their position, they have in-depth understanding of disability and blindness, as well as needs and expectations of the visually impaired. It is thanks to them that visually impaired people access cultural products and have the possibility to share cultural products in the same conditions and at the same time than the visually non-impaired. Their function is therefore to facilitate the participatory and active integration of this minority. Descriptors are, ultimately, the cornerstone in the collective deminorizing of people with disabilities and contribute to their effective and active engagement in their social and cultural communities.
Keywords: accessibility; audio description; human rights; minorities; disabilities