UniDescription
Impact

Featured Audio Descriptions
Accolades
Photo Albums
Google Map of Places We Have Helped to Make More Accessible
Collaborations with the U.S. National Park Service

Making a Difference

Where we've been. What we've done.

Featured Audio Description

Yosemite National Park

DESCRIPTION: Looking up through the silhouettes of the pines, one can spot the bright white rush of Bridalveil Fall pouring over the soaring Yosemite Valley cliffs. The water cascades over a glacially carved, U-shaped trough at the cliff top. The prominent rock formation, Leaning Tower, leans away and juts outward over the cliffline to the right of the waterfall, tempting visiting rock climbers. The rocks' varied minerals make a colorful patchwork of grays, oranges, creams and browns along the cliff face. RELATED TEXT: The massive cliffs of Yosemite and Hetch Hetchy valleys challenge the body and mind, especially the inquisitive nature of human beings. When an 1868 Yosemite guidebook declared, “the summit of Half Dome will never be trodden by human foot,” it was taken as a challenge. George Anderson reached the top in 1875. Countless others followed. One by one, adventurous men and women made other first ascents on sheer granite walls in Yosemite, changing the sport of climbing forever. The challenge of these cliffs continues to beckon climbers from around the world. The very existence of great cliffs like Half Dome and El Capitan has inspired questions about how they came to be. American Indians tell of a woman and her husband who argued and fought. The displeased spirits changed them into stone, Half Dome and North Dome, forever to face each other across the Valley. How these cliffs were formed has challenged geologists for over 100 years. They think the granite of Yosemite’s walls solidified over five miles underground. As the overlying rock eroded away, the granites rose to their current exposed level. Nature’s dynamic forces continue sculpting this exposed rock.

Statue of Liberty National Monument

DESCRIBING: A sepia-toned, horizontal illustration. DESCRIPTION: Immigrants stand on a crowded deck of a steamship entering New York Harbor. The ship is in the foreground and is about to pass the Statue of Liberty on its port side. The statue is in the right background of the illustration. It is just a silhouette of the iconic landmark. Many of the immigrants look toward the Statue. Some point toward her. Trying to get a better look, others climb the ship's rigging. CAPTION: Immigrants and statue, from Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper, 1887. CREDIT: Library of Congress. RELATED TEXT: Above and below this illustration is the text of the 1883 Emma Lazarus poem "The New Colossus." It reads: "Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame, With conquering limbs astride from land to land; Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame. “Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

Hamilton Grange National Memorial

IMAGE 1 of 2: Duel re-creation DESCRIBING: A sepia-toned, horizontal drawing. DESCRIPTION: This image shows five men standing in a clearing near some trees. The two men in the foreground stand stiffly with their feet together, about 10 feet apart, pointing pistols at each other. They are both wearing light-colored period clothing of the 18th century, including vests and long coats, as well as the triangular hats popular in this era, called tricorn or "cocked" hats. The man closest to the viewer wears a white knee-length jacket, worn open. Two of the men in the background wear white britches, dark jackets with long tails, and top hats. They are watching the scene impassively. A third man in the background wears dark clothing and blends in with the surrounding foliage. He appears to be making a comment to one of the onlookers. CREDIT: The Granger Collection, New York IMAGE 2 of 2: Two pistols DESCRIPTION: A pair of pistols, laid on their side together, overlapping at the tips of their muzzles. Each pistol has a curved wooden handle, a delicate metal finger guard over the trigger and an ornate metal firing mechanism. The body of one pistol is deep lacquered red, while the muzzle is polished and brass-toned. The other pistol is largely identical, except its body is a lighter brown CREDIT: JP Morgan Chase Archives RELATED TEXT: After years of differences, Aaron Burr challenged Hamilton to a duel in 1804. Burr, now the country’s vice president, felt he had to defend his honor. Friends tried to soothe both men, but failed. Facing possible death, Hamilton wrote letters to his friends and family. After he died from Burr’s bullet, Elizabeth read his letter and these final words: "Adieu, best of wives and best of women. Embrace all my darling children for me."

Accolades

July 01, 2020
American Alliance of Museums

Brett Oppegaard, Muse Award Winner (2020)

Research & Innovation (Gold): The UniDescription Project: Increasing Empirical Understanding of Audio Description with People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired, University of Hawaii at Manoa. “This proof-of-concept project shows the possibilities for museums to make their stories accessible. By including free and open source tools for audio description, it has the potential to be a game changer for accessibility of heritage content.”

July 03, 2020
American Council of the Blind

Michele Hartley, Achievement in Audio Description – Visual Art/Museums/Visitor Centers (2020)

"Since 2010, Michele has served as Media Accessibility Coordinator for the Harpers Ferry Center (HFC), an interpretive media design center for the National Park Service (NPS) system. Michele provides technical assistance, training and resources to promote media, exhibits, videos and publications that are accessible and universally designed. ... Over the past 6 years, she has been the NPS liaison to the UniD project, an initiative that produces audio-described park brochures. She is an important advocate for inclusion of user-experts to ensure effective and inclusive communication."

July 04, 2020
American Council of the Blind

Sajja Koirala, ACB/JPMorgan Chase Leadership Fellows (2020)

"Sajja Koirala of Honolulu, Hawaii holds a bachelor’s in psychology, a master’s in social work, a certificate in women’s studies, and a graduate certificate in disability studies. She is currently pursuing a PhD in communication and information sciences at the University of Hawaii. Her research interest includes media accessibility and audio description. Sajja has been working as a research assistant on the UniDescription Project since 2017, and has played an instrumental role in audio-describing the brochures of around 100 US national parks. ..."

July 26, 2019
American Council of the Blind

Brett Oppegaard, Dr. Margaret R. Pfanstiehl Memorial Achievement Award in Audio Description (2019)

WASHINGTON, July 29, 2019 - The American Council of the Blind (ACB) proudly announces the 2019 Dr. Margaret R. Pfanstiehl Memorial Achievement Award in Audio Description, an initiative of the Council’s Audio Description Project (ADP). In conjunction with ACB’s 58th annual conference and convention in Rochester, N.Y., the award was presented at a plenary session of the conference before over 1,000 people who are blind. The Dr. Margaret R. Pfanstiehl Memorial Achievement Award in Audio Description – Research and Development was awarded to Dr. Brett Oppegaard.

Photos Albums

Field Research

These photos show some of the research activities we have done in the field around the world.

Last Updated: August 03, 2020

Behind-the-Scenes

How do we do what we do? These photos will give you a behind-the-scenes look at our work.

Last Updated: August 03, 2020

Google Map of Places We Have Helped to Make More Accessible

Audio Description Created Around the U.S. (and World). For help making this map audible, read this Perkins School for the Blind article.

Collaborations with U.S. National Park Service Sites

Thank you, NPS partners!

The U.S. National Park Service has long been committed to improving media accessibility throughout the country and even initiated this UniDescription research project with the University of Hawaii. Without its involvement, none of this work would have been (or would be) possible. To date, more than 100 U.S. NPS sites are more accessible today than they were before the UniDescription Project, through this partnership, including the creation of new Audio Description at:

African Burial Ground National Monument

Badlands National Park

Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area

Blue Ridge Parkway

Boston African American National Historic Site

Bunker Hill - Boston National Historical Park

Cabrillo National Monument

Cape Cod National Seashore

Capulin Volcano National Monument

Carl Sandburg Home

Castle Clinton National Monument

Cesar E. Chavez National Monument

Channel Islands National Park

Charles Pinckney National Historic Site

Chickamauga / Chattanooga

Congaree National Park

Cowpens National Battlefield

Death Valley National Park

Denali National Park and Preserve

Devils Postpile National Monument

Eugene O’Neill National Historic Site

Everglades National Park

Faneuil Hall

Federal Hall National Memorial

Flight 93 National Memorial

Fort Moultrie National Historical Park

Fort Point National Historic Site

Fort Smith National Historic Site

Fort Stanwix National Monument

Fort Sumter National Historical Park

Fort Vancouver National Historic Site

Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site

Freedom Trail - Boston National Historical Park

Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve

General Grant National Memorial

George Washington Memorial Parkway

Gettysburg National Military Park

Golden Gate National Recreation Area

Governors Island National Monument

Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site

Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument

Hamilton Grange National Memorial

Harpers Ferry National Historical Park

Harry S Truman National Historic Site

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Herbert Hoover National Historic Site

Home of Franklin D Roosevelt National Historic Site

Jamestowne at Colonial National Historical Park

John Day Fossil Beds National Monument

John F. Kennedy National Historic Site

John Muir National Historic Site

Johnstown Flood National Memorial

Joshua Tree National Park

Katmai National Park and Preserve

Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park

Keweenaw National Historical Park

Kings Mountain National Military Park

Lassen Volcanic National Park

Lava Beds National Monument

Little River Canyon National Park

Longfellow House-Washington’s Headquarters National Historic Site

Lowell National Historical Park

Mammoth Cave National Park

Manzanar National Historic Site

Minute Man National Historical Park

Mojave National Preserve

Monocacy National Battlefield

Morristown National Historical Park

Mount Rainier National Park

Muir Woods National Monument

New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park

New River Gorge National River

Ninety Six National Historic Site

Obed National Wild and Scenic Area

Olympic National Park

Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail

Pinnacles National Park

Point Reyes National Seashore

Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial

Puukohola Heiau National Historic Site

Redwood National Park

Roger Williams National Memorial

Rosie the Riveter/WW II National Historical Park

Russell Cave National Monument

Saint Paul’s Church National Historic Site

Salem Maritime National Historic Site

San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site

Sitka National Historical Park

Statue of Liberty National Monument

Steamtown National Historic Site

Stones River National Battlefield

Stonewall National Monument

Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace

Thomas Edison National Historical Park

Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve

Valley Forge National Historical Park

Washington Monument

Weir Farm National Historic Site

Whiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area

Women’s Rights National Historical Park

Yellowstone National Park

Yosemite National Park

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Research

UniDescription Impact