Category: Accessibility

The Disappearance Of Disability: Why Do We Lose Representation From Book To Film?

10/1/2024

by Allison D'Arienzo

We’ve all heard the phrase “the book was better than the movie,” and in many cases that rings true. Numerous book-to-film adaptations seem to fall short of the expectations of readers who have diligently followed a series from paper to the screen. Countless times I have found myself watching the credits roll after a movie, still fuming because my favorite scene from the book was cut, or the main character’s hair was longer than I had imagined. But what happens when a film adaptation’s cuts and changes become harmful to the communities the book is representing?

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Writing for Accessibility: Don’t Use Alt Text for Memes, Please

5/1/2024

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by Kelli Hughes

If you’re like me and 59% of Gen Z, watching TV must include subtitles. Sometimes the audio mixing for a show is especially poor, muddling the dialogue and making it difficult to parse. Sometimes I can’t tell who is talking because of an especially large cast to keep track of. And sometimes, after a long day, I just need the clarity subtitles offer.

A Scrabble board with various black tiles with white letters scattered around. In the center, the word caption is spelled out with Scrabble tiles.

Photo by Monica Flores on Unsplash

As a hearing person, while I appreciate the affordances of subtitles, I do not need them to experience media. But that isn’t the case for everyone. Nearly 15% of adults in America report difficulty hearing, and 8% of Americans report some degree of vision loss. Where one person listens to the TikTok their buddy sent them for a laugh, another person requires closed captioning so they can read the joke on their screen. Without the proper use of accessibility tools, several users are excluded from the same experience.

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To Read or Not To Read: Audiobooks vs. Traditional Books

11/1/2021

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by Georgia I. Salvaryn

"open book pages" by Jo Naylor CC BY 2.0

It has long been debated whether audiobooks are better than traditional books and e-books, but it is an argument that has no end. While some people believe audiobooks are eventually going to take over the reading world, others believe traditional books and e-books will have a long-lasting existence and influence on the book-loving community. Eventually, one’s use of audiobooks or print media comes down to two factors: ease and enjoyment.

In Dina Folgia’s opinion editorial Why the Future of Writing is in Audio, she discusses the revolutionary addition of audiobooks and storytelling podcasts to the literary world and the growing popularity of this form of “reading.” She argues that readers will eventually turn to audio for better entertainment and for convenience (i.e., a reader can listen to their favorite actor read their memoir while driving to work.) Her conclusion:

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The Disappearance Of Disability: Why Do We Lose Representation From Book To Film?

Writing for Accessibility: Don’t Use Alt Text for Memes, Please

To Read or Not To Read: Audiobooks vs. Traditional Books

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