Here's an update from the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation & Education Professionals (ACVREP) committee that has been working to create a certification in the field of audio description.
June 9, 2025
TO: The Audio Description community at-large
FROM: The members of the Audio Description Subject Matter Expert (SME) Committee of the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation & Education Professionals (ACVREP)
RE: Audio Description Specialist Certification
Thank you to everyone who contributed their valuable comments and feedback during the 2024 public comment cycle of the draft Certified Audio Description Specialist (CAUDES) certification criteria. We truly appreciate your engagement and would like to provide some clarification on certain points and give some additional context regarding the certification development process and criteria being used.
Background
A Certified Audio Description Specialist (CAUDES™) is an ACVREP-certified professional who writes, edits, and/or provides quality control for Audio Description language. A CAUDES is trained and skilled in creating vivid descriptions of key visual elements for people who are blind or have low vision, as well as others who benefit from Audio Description. A CAUDES may be blind, have low vision, or be sighted. This certification does not extend to, nor does it include, voice artists who solely voice Audio Description from pre-written scripts and/or engineers/editors who mix Audio Description soundtracks.
In 2019, for the purpose of developing Audio Description Certification criteria, ACVREP put out a call for applications to serve on the voluntary SME Committee as well as volunteers to form an international Audio Description Advisory Committee. ACVREP evaluated applicants' credentials and references to make its selections, and both committees were formed in early 2020. The SME committee’s composition follows ACVREP’s established guidelines for membership and is comprised of unpaid volunteers drawn from professionals across a wide range of sectors including industry, academia, practitioners, and user communities. This diverse representation has brought various important and vital perspectives and expertise to our work.
Over the next four years, representing thousands of hours of volunteer work, the SME Committee drafted the certification criteria. This was accomplished through consensus-building, comprehensive discussion, and garnering input and advice from the Advisory Committee as well as knowledgeable and interested parties across the United States and around the world. The criteria include specific processes and standards to ensure that those seeking CAUDES certification have the knowledge necessary to provide Audio Description that honors the original intent of the content creator.
In early 2024, the ACVREP Board of Directors approved posting the draft CAUDES Certification criteria for public comment. This was a critical step in gathering input from Audio Description professionals, community members, advocates, industry, and users worldwide.
We received a multitude of thoughtful insights and feedback, further ensuring credible guidelines for this certification. Each comment was carefully reviewed and evaluated by the SME committee, and changes to the criteria were incorporated into the final documents to be more representative and inclusive of the wider practice of Audio Description in the community. We followed current ADA Standards of Practice regarding the language used in the CAUDES documents and are committed to making the final certification documents accessible, easy to understand, and use. In December 2024, the final criteria were approved by the ACVREP Board of Directors and will be available online soon.
What is covered in the CAUDES Certification?
The CAUDES certification is designed to formally recognize individuals who demonstrate knowledge and proficiency in Audio Description best practices across various formats and settings. These include pre-recorded media, live performances, museums, interactive displays, and educational environments, among others. The certification criteria are comprised of seven sections which form the CAUDES handbook:
- CAUDES Scope of Practice
- CAUDES Body of Knowledge
- CAUDES Applied Competencies
- CAUDES Code of Ethics
- CAUDES Eligibility Criteria
- CAUDES Recertification Criteria
- Glossary
Who is eligible for certification?
The CAUDES certification will recognize professionals who write or oversee the quality control and editing of Audio Description language. The CAUDES certification criteria have been designed for individuals across the spectrum of visual acuity, including those who are blind, have low vision, or are sighted. Anyone meeting the eligibility criteria may apply for certification.
A number of comments raised concerns about the CAUDES eligibility criteria. These comments were very useful and allowed the SME to clarify the eligibility categories to more clearly reflect and acknowledge that practitioners can achieve competency in Audio Description through a combination of education, experience, mentoring, and/or training.
The section outlining the educational criteria necessary to take the CAUDES certification exam has also been clarified. An applicant for CAUDES certification may qualify to take the exam through one of three revised eligibility categories based on experience in Audio Description and level of education. These categories are:
- Category 1 - High school diploma or equivalent
- Category 2 - Associate's or Bachelor's degree or equivalent international degree/diploma
- Category 3 - High school diploma or equivalent with additional Audio Description assessment-based training
The differences among Categories 1, 2, and 3 involve education requirements and the number of hours worked in either of the two Audio Description types: pre-produced or pre-recorded Audio Description and/or extemporaneous or live Audio Description. Common to all eligibility categories is the need for knowledge and an understanding of both types of Audio Description and practical experience in one of the two types. Experience in either type may be acquired as an Audio Description employee, contractor, intern, or volunteer.
It is important to note that while an applicant’s minimum practical experience for Categories 1 and 2 may be fulfilled exclusively by one type of Audio Description or the other, the exam will cover both types. At the time of this writing, few CAUDES applicants will qualify for Category 3, which references a formal, assessment-based, curriculum-structured training program in the United States or abroad. It is anticipated that additional formal, assessment-based Audio Description training programs will be established over time to support this certification.
CAUDES Certification Exam
The CAUDES certification guidelines do not teach how to create Audio Description. They are intended to establish the core knowledge required of a CAUDES to practice in the field.
The certification itself will consist of an exam to confirm that the aspiring CAUDES has the fundamental knowledge and information necessary to provide Audio Description to blind and low-vision users. The exam will be knowledge-based and feature multiple-choice or multiple-select questions derived from the information provided in the ACVREP CAUDES handbook. A list of resources will also be provided in the handbook to aid applicants in preparing for the examination. This will allow them to gain familiarity and understanding of those areas of Audio Description where they may lack direct knowledge or experience.
The members of the ACVREP Audio Description SME Committee have no financial interest in the creation or administration of the exam. The committee believes the true value of the CAUDES certification lies in the creation of a community of certified, professional Audio Description practitioners for the benefit of people who are blind or have low vision, people who are deafblind or have other sensory disabilities, people who have cognitive or intellectual disabilities, those who are auditory or language learners, individuals who are neurodivergent, or those who listen to the description while using their vision to perform another task.
Next steps
Over the next year, the SME will focus its efforts on several important phases of the CAUDES examination process. These include:
- Creating a survey to weigh the importance of necessary knowledge areas and various tasks performed by an Audio Description practitioner
- Soliciting volunteers to take this survey to inform the structure of the exam
- Creating a beta CAUDES examination
- Soliciting volunteers to take the beta exam
- Refining beta test questions for the final examination, with a target completion in the spring of 2026.
We encourage you to share this announcement with anyone interested in the Audio Description certification process. We thank those who took the time to participate during the public comment period and share your thoughts. Please know that your input plays a vital role in shaping the CAUDES certification to best meet the needs of the community. If you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to email Comments@ACVREP.org, referencing CAUDES in the subject line.
SME Committee members:
Kim Charlson, Chair, MA
Martin Wilde, Vice-Chair, IL
Wendy Sapp, GA
Jan Stankus, MA
Celia Hughes, TX
Deborah Lewis, CA
Joyce Adams, VA
Mary Hanks, TX
Laurie Pape Hadley, MN
Jolie Mason, CA
Joel Snyder, MD
Deborah Fels, Canada
Anna Capezzera, CA