SyntolkningCCL-researcher Jana Holsanova is one of the editors of the book Syntolkning – forskning och praktik (Audio description – research and practices) that has recently been published in co-operation between Lund University, Stockholm University and the Swedish Agency for Accessible Media  (MTM).

Audio description is a subject area for researchers within cognitive science with inquiries as: Can people who have never seen see things in their mind’s eye and create mental images? How can this happen? What is the relationship between language, thought and storytelling? How can interpreters convey in spoken words what film makers, actors, and so forthconvey by means of visible communicative resources, like images, movement light, gestures and facial expressions?

Audio description also deals with questions pertaining to aspects of quality: How do users of audio description services think that audio description can be improved? What training is available for those who wish to study audio description?


Jana Holsanova, Lund University, Photo: Gisela Lindberg

Included are contributions from researchers, educators, persons with visual impairment and blindness, practitioners of AD and government representatives who write about audio description from their various perspectives. The book is the first of its kind in Sweden and Scandinavia and the aim is to inspire research, debate and development of audio description. The book addresses scientists, practitioners of AD, teachers and users of AD, but also event organizers, government agencies and NGOs, as well as to anyone interested in issues of accessibility.


Link to an accessible PDF of the book: