Accessible Media Resource

From Education & Outreach

Links

2021 January Revision

When we first developed this resource, a primary focus was improving accessibility of existing videos. Now, more people are creating new videos.

In the 18 December 2020 meeting, EOWG decided to shift the focus of this resource to better address scenarios such as:

  • [novice video maker]   I'm recording a video presentation for a remote conference (and I'm already a bit overwhelmed about it). What do I need to do for accessibility?

The resource will continue to meet the other scenarios below, as well.

To meet this new primary focus, we will:

  • Simply the first page. [done]
    • Change the wording to imperative/checklist-like. [done]
    • Move user and benefit content to a new page. [done]
  • Move Media Player from the second item to near the end. [done]
  • Make integrated description clearer earlier. [done]

Requirements Analysis

Scenario / Use Case Examples

Showing spectrum of in-house & outsource:

  • [outsource everything]
    We do lots of videos and have budget to outsource everything. We just want to know what's needed for accessibility so we get the right requirements in our procurement contracts. Also, so we can spot check the videos before we post them online.
  • [podcast]
    I do a podcast every 2 weeks. I need to figure out whether:
    • I'm going to provide captions or just transcripts.
    • I want to outsource them or do them myself.
  • [in-house everything]
    We do only a couple videos per year, and we have very limited budget. We probably want to do everything ourselves (not outsource). We hope to use student interns to do some of it.
  • [in-house production and outsource accessibility]
    We've been doing live and recorded audio and video for years. Now we need to make it accessible. We'll probably outsource most of the accessibility for now, then maybe learn to do more in-house as we can. (specific example)
  • [video production company]
    We're being asked to make videos that meet accessibility requirements, and need to know what to do.

Others:

  • [internal training] We record training sessions over video conference and provide them as videos for our employees. (People might not realize or forget that their internal media needs to be accessible.)
  • [professor] I'm a professor posting videos for my students.
  • [advocate] I want to convince XYZ organization to make their media accessible. I want them to realize the importance for people with disabilities and the additional benefits that they get from it (e.g., SEO). It'd be good if from skimming this resource they feel like it's not a huge task.
  • [platforms] I put my videos out on YouTube/Vimeo/Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/etc.

Tasks

Roughly in priority order for this resource:

  • Creating Text Alternatives - I need:
    • Specific guidance on developing transcripts myself. [We're thinking many will do transcripts themselves, so including more do-it-yourself (DIY) instructions for this.]
    • Specific guidance on developing captions myself. [We're encouraging professionally-developed captions, so including less DIY instructions for this.]
  • Creating Video/Audio - I need:
    • To know what to do in the video/audio itself.
    • To understand audio description options.
    • Specific guidance on developing audio description.
  • Setting up Media Player - I need:
    • Help deciding which file formats and media player to use.
    • Instructions on setting up a media player with captions, audio description, interactive transcript, etc.
  • Advocating (within an organization, or outside) - I need:
    • To show added benefits of captions, transcripts, and audio description beyond accessibility.
  • Managing Development - I need:
    • To quickly know what we need to do to meet minimum accessibility requirements,
      and also best practices for optimal accessibility beyond minimums.
    • To know what skills and tools we need to get things done — and help deciding what we're going to do in-house and what we're going to outsource.
  • Understanding - I need:
    • A very brief summary and explanation of what's needed to make audio and video accessible (transcripts, captions, (subtitles), audio description, sign language).

Notes

  • Encourage readers to use professional captioners, yet do include some info for people to do them on their own.
  • Encourage readers to use an existing media player developed specifically for accessibility, and not provide details for developing one from scratch.

Example specific questions:

  • If my video is just a talking head, do I need audio description of the visual information?
  • Help me pick a free caption tool.

Title

Title info moved to GitHub issue

Location

The proposed resource would live in the IA/nav directly under Design & Develop:

Design & Develop

  • Tips for Writing
  • Tips for Designing
  • Tips for Developing
  • Audio & Video Media [title to-be-determined]
  • Tutorials [tutorials might move up a level in the IA when they are integrated in new site -- and might or might not be called "tutorials"]

Note: If it includes support for managing, link to it in appropriate place(s). Possibly somewhere in Planning & Managing.

Open issues

  • Judy says: "- Hard to read the text on the blue panels." -- yet they are the same as the Tutorials decision trees...

Misc

Rationales

  • User experience first — Put who it is used by first because that helps understand it better than the description of what it is.
  • External links. Straw proposal is to include basic guidance in this resource and generally say they can find more details elsewhere, and not link to others — because of link rot, competing organizations, not 100% accuracy, etc. — as discussed in EOWG April 2019.

External resources

A select few resources that are from established places and are fairly recent:

History

Below is in chronological order with the most recent first.

Making Audio and Video Media Accessible

Changes since Approval to Publish survey

Changes after 30 August

  • substantive change: reordered navigation - moved media player up and transcribing down. rationale: media player is essential for accessibility, matching order of How to Make Audio and Video Accessible and Checklists
    (Previous-Next links at the bottom will be updated if EOWG accepts this change - Issue 114)
  • In Captions page:
    • substantive change: Added: "Captions are needed for accessibility, whereas subtitles in other languages are not directly an accessibility accommodation."
    • Changed:
      "Captions for the same language" to:
      "Captions for the same language as the spoken audio"
    • made image in Introduction smaller
  • In Media Players page, Existing Players section, added (last updated July 2016) with link:
    "For example, Web-Based Media Player Accessibility Comparison Table (last updated July 2016)." (108)
  • In Intro page, Understand User Needs section, changed:
    "Many people who are Deaf can read text well. They get the audio information from transcripts or captions. Some cannot, and prefer sign language." to:
    "Many people who are Deaf can read text well. They get the audio information from transcripts or captions. Some people prefer sign language."
  • In Planning page, changed "figure out what your specific audio or video needs (captions, description, a transcript, etc.)" to: "figure out which accessibility aspects your specific audio or video needs (captions, description, a transcript, etc.)", which matches intro page wording (110)

Changes through 30 August

All are minor:

  • In Intro page, Benefits to Organizations and Individuals section, changed
    "Increased traffic and website use, for example, in the situations described below." to
    "Increased traffic and website use by people with and without disabilities, for example, in the situations described below." (102)
  • In Intro page, How to Make Audio and Video Accessible section, changed
    "To figure out which accessibility aspects your specific audio or video needs, for project management guidance, and to learn about standards, see..." to
    "To figure out which accessibility aspects your specific audio or video needs, for project management guidance, and to learn about Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) standards, see..."
  • In Audio Description of Visual Information page, Introduction section, added example; changed:
    "What: Audio description describes visual information needed to understand the content. It is usually narration added to the soundtrack." to
    "What: Audio description describes visual information needed to understand the content. (For example, "Pat opens a jewelry box, looks at a diamond engagement ring, and cries".) Description is usually narration added to the soundtrack." (103)
  • In Transcripts page, Where to Put Transcripts, after "Make it is easy for users to know that a transcript is available and to get to the transcript.", added
    "For example, put the transcript itself or a link to the transcript right under the video."
  • In Audio Content and Video Content, changed:
    "Speak clearly – speakers
    Speak clearly. Speak as slowly as appropriate. This will enable listeners to understand better, and make the timing better for captions and sign language." to
    "Speak clearly and slowly – speakers
    Speak clearly. This is important for people wanting to understand the content, and for captioners.
    Speak as slowly as appropriate. This will enable listeners to understand better, and make the timing better for captions and sign language." (106 and a survey comment)

Changes since 6 August

Planning Accessible Audio and Video Media
in Making Audio and Video Media Accessible

to: 

Planning Audio and Video Media
in Making Audio and Video Media Accessible
  • a few typo and word-o fixes (thanks Sylvie & others!)

Changes batch 7

In-progress:

Done:

Many small edits to address comments in GitHub issues, such as Level of detail to include and links to outside resources that EOWG discussed on 19 July.

Substantive ones for your review include:

  • Added first section under Benefits to Organizations and Individuals on Intro page.
  • After 19 July EOWG discussion, added brief definitions to the Intro page Summary so they are introduced before the User Needs section.
  • In intro page, under How to Make Audio and Video Accessible, moved Media Player page up so 3 icons on the right are together. Also edited out text to make content shorter, and whole section less dense.
  • Added brief Plan for sign language section to Audio and Video Content page.
  • Changed page tile and nav from "Accessible Audio and Video Content" & "Audio and Video Content" to "Accessible Audio Content and Video Content"/"Audio Content & Video Content" (because "Audio and Video Content" in nav was too similar to main nav item: "Audio and Video Media" (it even confused the editor once ;-))
  • Added to Creating Sign Language Alternatives

Changes 19 June - 10 July 2019

Latest draft: Making Audio and Video Media Accessible
19 June version for reference

Significant changes to draft resource:

Also many minor edits based on EOWG input.

Changes to analysis above:

  • To "Specific guidance on developing transcripts myself." added: [We're thinking many will do transcripts themselves, so including more do-it-yourself (DIY) instructions for this.]
  • To "Specific guidance on developing captions myself." added: [We're encouraging professionally-developed captions, so including less DIY instructions for this.]
  • To Scenario / Use Case Examples, added [in-house production and outsource accessibility] with link to specific example

Final Concept Design

Final Concept Design

Incorporates input from 1 May survey and 13 May F2F discussion.
Note: There were compelling reasons for each different organization option. This settles on the the organization that seemed somewhat better.

Changes from previous versions include:

  • Simplified intro page.
    • Element order at the top is easiest to understand first.
    • Order under "Making Media Accessible" and in the navigation is in workflow order for new media.
  • "Planning Accessible Audio and Video Media" page has "decision-trees"/checkboxes and standards.
  • Sub-pages have general information first (for everyone, including outsourcers), and details for creating them under a separate heading.

Pending changes - still to be done:

  • A few comments left to address

Version 3

Based on 26 April Minutes:

Based on 1 May survey:

Rough Concept Draft 3

Changes from previous version include:

Pending changes - still to be done:

  • A few comments left to address

For 26 April 2019

Updated Overview:

The previous work combined introductory information, content creation, and a some technical guidance for different audiences and tasks in a Tutorial format. Captions information was on multiple pages. Information about HTML5 was on multiple pages. It included several options that may not be relevant or important for most media on the web these days (listed on this page in Coverage of Options).

Note that we plan to update the existing tutorials into the new design. They might move up a level in the IA when they are integrated in new site. They might or might not be called "tutorials". In any case, this new resource will be developed in the new design. (Whether it is called a tutorial or not is still open, yet maybe not important for now.)

This proposal puts the information for each task/topic on one page.

Changes to this wiki page from last week:

  • Included media player tasks in this resource (was in separate resource)
  • Revised points under "Audiences and Tasks" to address "Tasks" (regardless of "role"), and changed order from workflow to priority
  • Revised Overview, adding more info on future plans for tutorials
  • Added to scenarios: internal videos, professors

Updated Rough Concept Draft 2 (incomplete, unpolished, straw proposal):

  • Added media player page content.
  • Edited/cut out some Introduction page content.
  • Left the managing and standards information for additional consideration.
  • Provided ideas for organization:
    • The intro page covers the elements in an order that newbies will likely understand, and need to address for existing audio and videos: captions, transcripts, audio description, sign language, video and audio content.
    • The side navigation (and Creating Media Alternatives section) is in workflow order for new media: Managing Development of Media Alternatives and Meeting Standards, Creating Video and Audio Content, Creating Audio Description of Visual Information, Creating Captions, Creating Transcripts, Accessible Media Player.

We will discuss the overall approach in the 26 April EOWG telecon. To share comments before then, you can do any of the following:

  • open new GitHub issue
  • e-mail the main EOWG list w3c-wai-eo@w3.org for broad visibility
  • e-mail the wai-eo-editors@w3.org so it's publicly-reference-able yet doesn't go to the whole list
  • attach to carrier pigeon

From 19 April 2019 telecon

19 April EOWG minutes: main topic, WCAG note. Some notes:

  • Understanding of what makes the media player accessible and how to choose. Needs to be easy to find from here.
  • Additions to use case/scenarios/audiences/tasks: internal videos, professor
  • Primary audience/tasks - different perspectives:
    • +1s for: Content creator and the video creator are by far the primary audience. The manager role is not the primary audience for the 'how-to' aspects of the resource.
    • I agree with the primary audience but do not want to lose sight of the importance of the role of the manager. I wonder if focusing all the content around audience is not the right approach. What if we approach based on complexity? Start with high level understanding of the importance of accessible media and drill down to more technical aspects. Start with why it matters/general info and proceed to more complex.
      • Media definitely has more consideration from a management perspective. It is different from the existing tutorials.
  • Guidance is needed on which WCAG SCs apply to specific media implementations.

For 19 April 2019

Overview:

The previous work combined introductory information, content creation, and a little technical guidance for many different audiences and tasks in a single Tutorial format.

This proposal separates:

  1. introductory information and content creation guidance
  2. developer tutorial on the technical aspects of the media player

19 April project page (previous version of this page), Rough Concept Draft 1, alternative with managing info on 3 pages

2017



Archived info

old overview

Working Draft is the final concept design. The overall organization is set. The wording is mostly complete and ready for detailed review and comment! The History section below has information on EOWG discussions and the iterations. They are in chronological order with the most recent first, so you might want to read from the bottom.

Schedule

  • 19 - 28 June: complete review survey
  • 28 June - 13 August:
    • Call for review in EOWG Work for this Week the whole time, pointing to updates listed in History below
    • E-mail reminders periodically
  • 24 July - 12 August: AG Review (10 Aug reminder)
  • 3 - 12 August: Judy & Geoff review (Geoff not available, fine going ahead with publishing) (JB comments)
  • 13 August - discuss open issues in EO-Plan for EOWG discussion on 16 August
  • 16 August - EOWG discussion
  • 19-21 August - changes as needed
  • 21 August - survey for approval to publish

Specifics

  • Two levels of transcripts?
    1. just spoken text and important audio info. "transcript of audio information" or "basic transcript" or ???
    2. also with visual/audio description. "descriptive transcript" or ???
  • Referring to video types — Seems we'll want to talk about the main video and the described video. What do we call the first? Brainstorms:
    • main video
    • default video
    • ...
  • disability terminology
    • Probably want to use "people with disabilities" formula in this resource.
    • Thoughts on "people who are Deaf-blind"? Is it understandable enough? Is it likely to offend readers? Would it be better to say "people who are both Deaf and blind"?

Coverage of Options

Background: Some feedback on the tutorials is that there are too many options for how to implement things. Many developers just want to be told what do to.

For this resource, should we:

  • emphasize the suggested approach, and
  • for non-recommended options, not mention them at all or just briefly ?

Specific issues are listed below:

  • Captions formats and presentation
    • How much to cover the different types of presentation: pop-on, roll-up, paint-on (types in previous draft)? If little or no option on the web, then maybe not mention at all.
    • How much to cover the different formats TTML & SRT (formats in previous draft)? If suggesting WebVTT for most cases, then maybe not mention at all, or just briefly.
    • How much to cover authors styling captions (styling in previous draft)? If not supported in common web players, then maybe not mention at all, or just briefly.
  • Extended Audio Description with SMIL
    • If there is not sufficient support for this &/or it's not the recommended method, then maybe not mention at all, or just briefly.
    • "The only markup-based method for providing extended audio descriptions is to use SMIL 3.0... Support for SMIL is very limited, however: implementations will most likely require the use of plug-ins and/or heavily customized approaches." — previous draft
  • Audio Description via text track
    • If there is not sufficient support for this &/or it's not the recommended method, then maybe not mention at all, or just briefly.
    • "As of February 2019 when this Advisory technique was last reviewed by the Working Group, there is no native support in user agents for this technique. However, support is available via JavaScript polyfills." — WCAG Technique H96


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