News Release

Descriptathon 10

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Park Ranger Eric Grunwald works on the UniDescription website.

NPS/Dante Boe

News Release Date: February 13, 2024
Contact: Eric Grunwald, 308-436-9718
Contact: Justin Cawiezel, 308-436-9717

Did you know that many National Park Service sites across the United States offer an audio described version of their brochures? Mainly for individuals who are blind or visually impaired, audio description takes an item that otherwise only can be seen (such as a photograph, a painting, a poster, a statue, a map, etc.) and formats it so that it can be heard.

The UniDescription Project is led by Dr. Brett Oppegaard, a Professor at University of Hawaii (UH), in the School of Communication and Information, who has been collaborating with colleagues in the UH Center on Disability Studies and the National Park Service. Their big-picture goal is simple and straightforward: Audio Describe the World!

The staff of Scotts Bluff National Monument spent several days in early February with “Team Rattlers” for Descriptathon 10. Our team included volunteers from other park sites (Agate Fossil Beds NM and Ford’s Theater), members of the American Council of the Blind, and members of the Blinded Veterans Association. We learned the art of description, practiced it with challenges that pitted us against other teams in single elimination tournaments, then focused our new skills on our own brochure.

The audio described version of the brochure that we produced is available on the UniDescription app in iOS or Android formats. It’s also on our website at: https://www.nps.gov/scbl/planyourvisit/park-brochure.htm.

Tags: audio description, descriptathon

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