To ensure our content is inclusive, easily perceived and understood, we must empathise with our user's needs and create our content to defined
1. Understanding your audience's needs
People who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have difficulty processing auditory information get audio information from transcripts or captions. People who are blind or have low vision get their visual information from audio description of visual information. People in loud environments where they cannot hear the audio or in quiet environments where they cannot turn on sound benefit from the use of closed captions.
2. A general rule
If the pre-recorded video has speech or other audio that is needed to understand the content, you must include:
transcript, separate from the audio
captions synchronised with the audio
otherwise, inform your users.
If the pre-recorded video has visual information that is needed to understand the content, you must include:
a transcript that includes descriptions of the visual information
audio description of the visual information
3. Captions, transcripts and audio descriptions
What are captions?
Closed captioning goes above subtitling by providing an on-screen text alternative for spoken dialogue as well as a text alternative for audio cues, background noises and other audible sounds. Captioning can also be used for locating content within the video.
What is it used for?
People in loud environments where they cannot hear the audio or in quiet environments where they cannot turn on sound benefit from the use of closed captions.
What are closed and open captions?
Closed captions are captions that are able to be turned on and off via a control on the video player. Open captions are “burnt-in” to the video content and cannot be turned off.
4. Pre-production tips
5. Production and filming tips
6. Post-production tips
7. Test your video
A general rule...
If the pre-recorded video has speech or other audio that is needed to understand the content, you must include:
transcript, separate from the audio
captions synchronised with the audio
otherwise, inform your users.
If the pre-recorded video has visual information that is needed to understand the content, you must include:
a transcript that includes descriptions of the visual information
audio description of the visual information
Pre-production tips
Be clear about the purpose and message of your video. Keep it clear, concise and expressed simply.
Use Hays branding and video templates
Write a script for all spoken content in advance. Speakers should state their name and title/affiliation audibly. Use clear and concise language written in a plain English style.
Identify any important visual content that will need to be described audibly (such as on-screen text, graphs, equations or images) for individuals with vision impairments.
Ensure that all visual content is clear and easy to read.
Do not include rapidly blinking or flashing content in your video to avoid triggering seizures in individuals with photosensitive epilepsy
Post-production tips
To provide real time equal access, all videos we publish must include:
a transcript of all spoken content
a closed caption track of all spoken and auditory content
an audio description track (where appropriate) of any meaningful visual content
Test your video
A simple quality assurance test to check if the video provides equal access involves:
1. Turning on closed captions and watch the video with the sound off.
2. Now, turn the sound back on, close your eyes and re-watch the video with your eyes closed.
In both instances, ask yourself 'was the video still engaging and useful?', 'did it still make sense?'
If your answer is yes, you are nearly ready to publish.
If your answer is no, go back and fix the parts that do not provide equal access before you can publish
