Accessible Media: Supports All Senses Flashcards
How does creating accessible media differ from earlier accessibility guidelines?
Rather than just follow standards and design principles, we need to do something extra.
Create captions/transcript for audio and video provide a description for images
How does accessible media support accessibility?
without, some content will be completely hidden fro users.
So we provide alternatives so they work for all senses.
People can access and understand the information contained in media, such as images, audio, video, presentations and animations.
Information in media is available for everyone
People have alternative ways to consume content
How can we design for accessible media?
Don’t use only color to communicate meaning (color plus another cue = meaning for all)
Provide instructions without relying on visual cues (don’t rely on color, shape or location)
Describe the content or meaning of an image (purpose of the image. What’s it trying to communicate)
How can we write useful alt text?
Repeat words from the image (if it contains text and it’s important for understanding, repeat it as alt text)
Use blank alt text for decorative images (alt=””; AT can distinguish between these different images)
Describe images in a meaningful way
Identify the target of a link (If the image is a link, where does the link take you)
Don’t use a filename or other technical information
Only use background images for decorative effect
What is null alt text?
alt=””
What should captions include?
All words spoken in the video
Any prominent sounds e.g. cars honking
What is video description?
AKA audio description or described video. Uses the natural pauses in dialogue to add meaningful narrative about what is happening in the video.
Audio description can be provided several ways:
- in the main audio track
- in a separate audio track
- In a transcript
What is the difference between subtitles and captions?
Subtitles are a translation to a second language.
Captions are synchronised display of transcript of the video in the same language.
What’s the difference between open and closed captions?
Open - burned into the video
Closed - Toggled on/off
Why provide alternatives to time based media?
Users might have device without audio output.
Can read better than listen.
Search engines can read transcript.
How can we use dynamic elements carefully?
Don’t design flashing blinking elements
Don’t engage without a user request
Don’t let media files auto play
How can we make presentations accessible?
Provide a transcript
Include alt text for images
