Accessible videos and captions
Last updated
Last updated
Media in the modern world is an invaluable source of information in all aspects of life, provides education and entertainment, and can be a significant factor in dealing with emergency situations.
It is therefore very important to provide accurate information using different communication modes to deliver messages to a wide range of individuals with different requirements, or individuals with situational limitations.
Types of impairments that benefit from producing accessible media include:
Hearing impairments (using captions and trancripts)
Visual impairments (using audio description, image descriptions, and video transcripts)
Intellectual and learning disabilities (all of above)
Audio description represents visual elements presented in videos, describing persons, scenes, actions, or textual information that is not presented audibly.
How to create audio description
Set the scene: where does the video take place? When?
Who are the persons / main characters?
What are they doing?
How? Cautiously entering the building? Walking hastily? Add adjectives.
Audio descriptions should be as short as possible. Remove all unnecessary descriptions.
If the sound effect is there, don't describe it.
If the images do not convey any additional information and are decorative, don't add description.
It is best to plan from the designing phase of video creation and create audio description in the designing phase. Script can be written or recorded in audio.
Screen reader is not able to read closed captions from videos. Therefore, the best practice is to produce another video with audio description. This can be done by extracting the audio, add description, and recombining the video
Sign languages: For English videos, international sign language can be used. For content targeting local audiences, procure local sign language interpreters.
The reason why sign languages should be provided, rather than using captions only, is because persons with hearing impairments have lower literacy levels. For many Deaf persons, sign language is the first language.
Subtitles and captions are different. Subtitles do not include description of sound effects. Captions also include audio information such as music, sound effects, or textual representations.
How to write video captions:
Use present tense
Keep your sentences short
Identify speakers and medium of speech (radio, television, phone).
Place sound effects or music between brackets.
Inclusive language
Use people-first language. Avoid labels and stereotypes. Do not use condescending euphemisms. Do not use a language that implies that disability is terrible, or languages that reinforce belief that disabilities are something bad. Disability is not an illness or a problem.
Reflect on how persons with disabilities are portrayed and described in your culture. Are there stereotypes you possess? Some people are left-handed, and some are right-handed. We just live our lives differently in our own ways.