Making your videos accessible
In today's digital world, videos are a popular way to connect with online audiences. But it’s important you make your videos accessible. Embracing video accessibility not only shows a commitment to diversity and inclusion but can also expand your audience and increase engagement with your content.
Over 14 million people in the UK have a disability, which is about one in five people.
Over 2 million people in the UK have trouble with their vision.
Approximately 11 million people in the UK have some degree of hearing loss.
In this article, we'll explore the importance of video accessibility and provide simple tips on how to make your videos more inclusive.
Captions and Subtitles
Add captions or subtitles to your videos. These are text versions of the audio that are shown in time with spoken word, music or sounds during the video.
Make sure the captions are accurate, synchronized with the video, and include speaker names.
Use a clear font, good colour contrast, and a suitable size for easy reading.
Audio Descriptions
Include audio descriptions to help people with visual impairments to understand and enjoy the content by describing what they can't see. Audio descriptions are spoken narrations that provide information about the visual elements of a video, such as actions, gestures, and scenery.
Describe important visual details, actions, and anything not explained through audio.
Transcripts
Provide a written transcript of the video's dialogue and audio descriptions. A transcript is a written version of the words and sounds in a video, so you can read and understand what is being said even if you can't watch or hear the video.
Make the transcript easy to access alongside the video, either as a separate file or on the webpage.
Design considerations
Use colours that contrast well between the video player, captions, and background to make them easy to read.
Use clear and simple language in both spoken content and written text.
Don’t rely only on visuals or gestures to convey important information.
Avoid fast flashing visuals, as this can trigger seizures in some people.
User-friendly video player
Choose a video player that is easy to use and allows users to control playback, adjust volume, and turn captions on and off.
Users must be able to pause or stop the video, rather than it being forced upon them.
YouTube and Vimeo both have built-in accessibility features so can be used with screen readers and keyboard navigation. Keep an eye out for custom video players such as ones built into learning management systems which may not work.
Video accessibility is essential for reaching a wider audience, including people with disabilities. By following simple techniques like adding captions, audio descriptions, and providing transcripts, you can make your videos inclusive and accessible.
