Provide Alternatives for Multimedia Content
Audio and video content require additional work to ensure they are accessible without being dependent on a specific sense. For example, audio-only content needs a text alternative for someone who cannot hear to be able to perceive that content.
Accessibility Guidelines for Multimedia Content
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 has several guidelines related to time-based media, which typically has a video and/or audio component.
In general, these guidelines are about providing ways to consume information that are not dependent on a specific sense. For example, audio content requires the sense of hearing. WCAG compliance requires having versions of equivalent content that don’t rely on hearing, such as videos with closed captions and audio-only files with transcripts.
Multimedia Alternatives
Captions
Captions display synchronized textual descriptions of all audio within a video. Closed captions include not only dialogue but also sounds that are important to understanding a scene. All video files (prerecorded and live streamed) with audio must be synchronized and include accurate closed captions.
Transcripts
A transcript is the textual version of the multimedia audio content or silent video. It may contain additional explanations, comments or descriptions — such as auditory action and background noise — in addition to dialogue. A transcript is usually a text document without any time information, but it may also be included on a webpage. All audio-only and video-only content needs to have a transcript available as a text alternative.
Audio Descriptions
Audio descriptions are commentary and narration that guide the listener through a video or presentation. Audio descriptions are intended for users with visual disabilities, providing additional information about what is visible on the screen — such as actions, scene changes, facial expressions and on-screen text. Audio descriptions are required for all prerecorded videos.
Learn more about audio descriptions
Foundational Accessibility Concepts
Learning foundational accessibility concepts will help you create more accessible content regardless of tool or platform.