This paper presents an outline of current audiovisual translation practises in Poland. It
situates audiovisual translation (AVT) within the larger context of Translation Studies,
discussing its characteristics, problems and challenges to be faced in the nearest future.
In Poland AVT has traditionally been associated with cinema subtitling and television
voice-over, of which the latter – to the baffl ement of many AVT scholars – still enjoys
great popularity. However, these two major AVT modes are accessible mostly to people
without disabilities. The question of accessibility of the media to the deaf and hardof-
hearing as well as the blind and visually impaired is now beginning to be tackled
in Poland. So far, it is only the public television TVP that offers programmes with
audiodescription, subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing or sign language interpreting.
Hopefully, new EU regulations have a chance to pave the way to increase the accessibility
of audiovisual programs and to open new fi elds of research in AVT.

This paper presents an outline of current audiovisual translation practises in Poland. It
situates audiovisual translation (AVT) within the larger context of Translation Studies,
discussing its characteristics, problems and challenges to be faced in the nearest future.
In Poland AVT has traditionally been associated with cinema subtitling and television
voice-over, of which the latter – to the baffl ement of many AVT scholars – still enjoys
great popularity. However, these two major AVT modes are accessible mostly to people
without disabilities. The question of accessibility of the media to the deaf and hardof-
hearing as well as the blind and visually impaired is now beginning to be tackled
in Poland. So far, it is only the public television TVP that offers programmes with
audiodescription, subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing or sign language interpreting.
Hopefully, new EU regulations have a chance to pave the way to increase the accessibility
of audiovisual programs and to open new fi elds of research in AVT.