Accessibility for Video

Public Article

The content of this article is certified for accuracy by the Digital Accessibility Centre.

Why is Accessibility Important for Video

Ensuring accessible videos exist for impaired and non-impaired individuals is essential in creating an inclusive digital environment. Here are some reasons why video accessibility is so important:

Inclusivity and Diversity: Video accessibility ensures that people with impairments can access and engage with content. This promotion of inclusivity and diversity allows a broader audience to benefit from the information or entertainment provided in such videos, regardless of abilities.
Legal Compliance: Many countries have laws and regulations requiring content creators (including businesses and organisations) to make digital content accessible. Ensuring the accessibility of videos helps the creators comply with regulations, thus reducing the risk of discrimination-related legal issues.
Enhanced User Experience: Accessibility features like captions and transcripts benefit individuals with impairments and enhance the overall user experience. Captions, for example, are especially helpful in noisy environments, breaching the language barrier for language learners or when the viewer can not play audio.
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO): Accessible videos often perform better in search engine rankings. Search engines can index and understand the content of videos more effectively when textual elements, e.g. captions and transcripts, accompany them. Including these elements can, therefore, increase the content's visibility and reach.
Professionalism and Reputation: Creating accessible content reflects positively on the professionalism and reputation of the creators by showcasing their commitment to reaching a diverse audience and respecting the needs of individuals with impairments.
Education and Learning: Accessible videos are essential in educational settings. They allow students with impairments to participate in online courses, lectures, and training material.
Technological Advances: As technology evolves, accessibility becomes more integrated into various platforms and devices. Creating accessible videos ensures that content will remain compatible with emerging technologies and stay relevant in the digital landscape.

Examples of Accessibility in Video

Several features and practices make video accessible to a broader audience. These are just ten examples:

Closed Captions (CC): Provide text-based representation of the spoken words, sound effects, and other audio information in videos. These captions benefit those with hearing-based impairments and those who may watch videos in noisy environments.
Subtitles: These are similar to closed captions. Subtitles provide a text version of the dialogue in videos. They often translate content into different languages, thus giving the videos a global audience.
Sign Language Interpretation: Including a sign language interpreter in the video or providing a separate video with sign language interpretation is crucial for making content accessible to individuals who use sign language as their primary means of communication.
Audio Descriptions (AD): Audio descriptions are additional narrations that describe the visual content of a video, including scenes, actions, and other relevant details. These descriptions are helpful when considering those with sight-based impairments.
Transcripts: Providing a written transcript of the video's spoken content makes the information accessible to individuals who may prefer or require a text-based format. Transcripts are also beneficial for SEO (as stated above) and can be a reference for quick information retrieval.
Accessible Player Controls: Video player controls can be accessible for users with mobility impairments. These controls include keyboard shortcuts, ensuring controls are navigable with a Screen Reader, and allowing for playback speed adjustment.
High Contrast and Large Text Options: Offering high-contrast settings and increasing text size helps individuals with visual impairments or reading difficulties perceive and understand the content better.
Audio-only Versions: Providing an audio-only version of videos allows individuals with visual impairments access to audio content without accompanying visuals.
Contrast and Color Choices: Consider the contrast between text and background colours to make the text more readable, especially for viewers with visual impairments or colour blindness. Avoid relying solely on colour to convey information.
Keyboard Accessibility: Ensure that users can navigate and control video players using a keyboard. This navigation allows individuals with motor impairments who may rely on keyboard navigation instead of a mouse to access videos easily.

Tools Required and How to Test Accessibility in Video

What are the Tools Required for Testing Accessibility in Video

Accessibility Evaluation Tool
Caption/Subtitling Tool
Colour Contrast Analyser
Keyboard
Screen Reader
Web Development Extension

How to Test for Accessibility in Video

Evaluate Video Player Controls: Ensure users can play, pause, adjust the volume, and navigate the video using keyboard commands only.
Verify Captions and Subtitles: Ensure accurate captions or subtitles by checking their synchronisation with spoken content and effective conveyance of meaning. Also, verify the ease of turning captions on and off.
Review Transcripts: If a video has a transcript, ensure it matches the video's spoken content. Also, confirm that the transcript is accessible and available in a format compatible with Screen Readers.
Check for Audio Descriptions: Ensure that audio descriptions provide information about critical visual elements if the video includes visual content. Verify that these audio descriptions are clear, concise, and synchronised appropriately with the content in the video.
Test for Color and Contrast: Review the Colour Contrast of text within the video player to ensure readability. Confirm that these colours are not the only means of conveying important information.
Evaluate Responsive Design: Test how the video player responds to different screen sizes and devices, ensuring that the player remains functional and accessible on various mobile phones and tablets.
Browser Compatibility Testing: Test the video in different Web Browsers to ensure consistent content.

Potential Issues and Further Reading

Potential Issues when Not Considering Accessibility in Video

When developers do not consider accessibility for video content, several potential issues may arise, negatively impacting user experience for individuals with impairments. Here are five problems associated with overlooking accessibility in video:

Exclusion of Individuals with Impairments: Without accessibility features such as captions, transcripts, and audio descriptions, people with hearing or visual impairments may be unable to access or comprehend content.
Limited Audience Reach: Inaccessible videos may exclude a significant portion of audiences, thereby reducing the overall reach and impact of the video. This reduction in views is particularly relevant in educational, informational, or entertainment contexts.
Legal Consequences: Failure to comply with accessibility regulations and standards may lead to legal consequences. Many countries have laws that mandate digital content, including videos, to be accessible to individuals with impairments.
Negative Reputation and Perception: Ignoring accessibility may result in a negative perception of the video creator or organisation. It could be perceived by many as a lack of inclusivity, sensitivity, and commitment to providing equal access to information and entertainment.
Poor User Experience: Inaccessible videos may lead to poor user experience for all viewers, not just those with impairments. Issues such as unclear controls, lack of captions, and difficulty navigating the video may alienate and frustrate users.