Video Accessibility: Captions, Descriptions, More

Why Video Accessibility Matters

Over 2.2 billion people worldwide live with vision impairment, and 430 million experience disabling hearing loss. When video accounts for over 82% of internet traffic, accessibility isn't optional, it's essential for reaching your full audience.

Beyond the ethical imperative, accessibility has practical benefits: captions improve comprehension for all viewers, audio descriptions add context, and accessible content performs better in search. Companies also face increasing legal requirements, with over 8,800 lawsuits filed for video accessibility non-compliance in 2024 alone.

Understanding Video Accessibility Standards

WCAG Guidelines

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.2) provide the most widely recognized framework for video accessibility, built around four principles:

Perceivable: Content must be presented in ways users can detect Operable: Users must be able to navigate and control content Understandable: Information should be clear and comprehensible Robust: Content should work with assistive technologies

Compliance Levels

WCAG defines three conformance levels:

Level A (Minimum):

• Captions for prerecorded audio
• Audio descriptions or media alternative for prerecorded video
• No auto-playing audio without controls

Level AA (Standard):

• Captions for live audio
• Audio descriptions for prerecorded video
• No flashing content that could cause seizures

Level AAA (Enhanced):

• Sign language interpretation
• Extended audio descriptions
• Full text alternatives for all media

Most organizations target Level AA compliance.

Essential Accessibility Features

Captions

Captions provide text display of spoken dialogue and indicate other sounds for viewers who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Types of captions:

• Closed captions (CC): Can be turned on/off by viewers
• Open captions: Burned into the video, always visible
• Live captions: Generated in real-time for live content

Caption requirements:

• Accurate transcription of speech
• Speaker identification when multiple people talk
• Sound effect descriptions ([door slams], [phone rings])
• Music identification when relevant
• Synchronized timing with audio

Caption quality standards:

• 99%+ accuracy for professional content
• Proper punctuation and grammar
• Reading speed appropriate for content type
• Consistent styling and positioning

Audio Descriptions

Audio descriptions provide narration of visual information for viewers who are blind or have low vision.

What to describe:

• Actions and movements
• Scene changes and settings
• On-screen text and graphics
• Facial expressions and body language
• Visual information not conveyed by audio

Audio description approaches:

• Standard: Fits descriptions into natural pauses
• Extended: Pauses video to allow longer descriptions
• Integrated: Narrator naturally describes visual elements

Transcripts

Full text versions of video content, including:

• All spoken dialogue
• Speaker identification
• Description of relevant visuals
• Non-speech audio information

Transcripts benefit users who:

• Prefer reading to watching
• Need to search content
• Use screen readers
• Have limited bandwidth

Accessible Video Players

The player itself must be accessible:

• Keyboard navigation for all controls
• Screen reader compatibility
• Visible focus indicators
• Caption and audio description toggles
• Adjustable playback speed
• Volume controls

Creating Accessible Video Content

Pre-Production Planning

Build accessibility into your process from the start:

Script writing:

• Write with audio description needs in mind
• Avoid "as you can see" or "look at this"
• Describe visual elements in dialogue when natural
• Plan pauses for audio descriptions

Visual planning:

• Ensure on-screen text has sufficient contrast
• Avoid relying solely on color to convey information
• Design graphics that work with audio descriptions
• Plan speaker identification for multiple participants

Production Considerations

Audio quality:

• Clear speech recording
• Consistent volume levels
• Minimal background noise
• Distinct speaker voices

Visual clarity:

• High contrast text
• Readable font sizes
• Sufficient time for reading on-screen text
• Avoid rapid scene changes

Post-Production

Captioning workflow:

1. Generate automatic captions (if available)
2. Edit for accuracy and timing
3. Add sound effect descriptions
4. Review synchronization
5. Test with actual users

Audio description workflow:

1. Identify visual information needing description
2. Write descriptions that fit available pauses
3. Record with clear, neutral voice
4. Mix descriptions with original audio
5. Review for completeness

Tools for Video Accessibility

Auto-Captioning Tools

Audio Description Services

• 3Play Media: Full-service accessibility
• CaptionMax: Enterprise solutions
• AI Media: Automated and human options

Testing Tools

• WAVE: Web accessibility evaluation
• axe DevTools: Automated testing
• Screen readers: NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver

Common Accessibility Mistakes

Caption Errors

Auto-caption without editing: Automated captions contain errors that confuse viewers Missing sound descriptions: Omitting [music playing] or [door opens] Poor timing: Captions appearing too early or late Unreadable styling: Yellow text on white backgrounds

Description Gaps

Assuming visual context: Not describing what sighted viewers see Over-describing: Adding descriptions during dialogue Missing critical information: Skipping text or graphics on screen Inconsistent naming: Using different names for the same person/object

Player Issues

No keyboard support: Controls only work with mouse Missing focus indicators: Can't see which control is selected Auto-play without warning: Videos start unexpectedly No caption toggle: Users can't enable captions easily

Legal Requirements

Section 508 (US Federal)

Federal agencies must make electronic content accessible to people with disabilities.

ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)

Applies to businesses open to the public, increasingly interpreted to include websites and video content.

EAA (European Accessibility Act)

EU requirements for accessible digital products and services, effective 2025.

AODA (Accessibility for Ontarians)

Canadian provincial requirements for accessible content.

Making Accessibility Sustainable

Build Into Workflow

Don't treat accessibility as an afterthought:

• Include captioning time in production schedules
• Budget for accessibility services
• Train team members on requirements
• Test with accessibility in mind

Quality Assurance

• Review captions for accuracy before publishing
• Test with actual assistive technology users
• Audit existing content for compliance gaps
• Document accessibility features

Continuous Improvement

• Gather feedback from users with disabilities
• Stay updated on guideline changes
• Improve based on new technologies
• Share learnings across teams

VibrantSnap and Accessibility

VibrantSnap supports accessible video creation:

• Automatic caption generation with high accuracy
• Easy caption editing and timing adjustment
• Transcript export for text alternatives
• Accessible player controls
• Analytics that include accessibility engagement

Creating accessible content doesn't require specialized expertise when tools handle the technical requirements.

Conclusion

Video accessibility benefits everyone: people with disabilities access content equally, all viewers gain from captions and transcripts, and organizations avoid legal risk while reaching larger audiences.

Start with these priorities:

1. Add accurate captions to all video content
2. Ensure video players are keyboard accessible
3. Provide transcripts for important content
4. Plan audio descriptions for content where visuals carry critical information
5. Test with actual assistive technology

Accessibility isn't a one-time project but an ongoing commitment to inclusive content creation.

Creating accessible video content? VibrantSnap includes automatic captioning and accessible player controls, making it easier to create inclusive product demos and tutorials.