ACVREP Board of Directors, on the recommendation of the Audio Description Specialist Subject Matter Expert (SME) Committee, approves the posting of the CAUDES draft certification criteria for public comment from communities worldwide.

ACVREP and the SME Committee invite Audio Description professionals, community members, advocates, and users to provide comments and feedback on the Certified Audio Description Specialist (CAUDES) draft certification criteria. Your input is critical to ensure the highest quality certification.

This certification will formally recognize individuals who demonstrate knowledge of, and proficiency in, Audio Description best practices across a wide range of formats and venues. Areas of practice include, but are not limited to, pre-recorded media, performing arts, interactive displays, live events, museums, and education.

The draft certification criteria is composed of the following sections:

• CAUDES Scope of Practice
• CAUDES Body of Knowledge
• CAUDES Applied Competencies
• CAUDES Code of Ethics
• CAUDES Eligibility Criteria
• CAUDES Recertification Criteria, and
• Glossary

Over the past four years, the SME Committee has listened carefully to input and feedback from the community on the topic of certification of Audio Description professionals across the field. As a result, CAUDES is an acronym for Certified Audio Description Specialist and is defined in the Scope of Practice as follows:

“A Certified Audio Description Specialist (“CAUDES”) is an ACVREP-certified professional who crafts Audio Description language and/or provides quality control for, or editing of, Audio Description language. A CAUDES is trained and skilled at creating vivid descriptions of key visual elements for people who are blind or have low vision, as well as others who may benefit from description. A CAUDES can be blind, sighted, or have low vision. This certification does not include those who solely voice Audio Description or engineers/editors who mix Audio Description soundtracks."

Members of the CAUDES SME are Kim Charlson and Martin Wilde. Co-Chairs and members Joyce Adams, Anna Capezzera, Deb Fels, Laurie Pape Hadley, Mary Hanks, Celia Hughes, Deborah Lewis, Jolie Mason, Wendy Sapp, Joel Snyder, Jan Stankus.

To download and view the Draft CAUDES Certification Criteria click on the link below:

 Click Here to download the proposal

ACVREP has established an email address comments@acvrep.org in order to receive your comments. It is important that you place the word CAUDES in the subject line of your email.