Video

Controls

  • A method MUST be provided to pause, stop, or hide any media content that begins playing automatically and which lasts 5 seconds or more.
  • The media player itself has to be keyboard-accessible and needs to communicate the names, roles, and values of the controls and the states of the controls.
  • Videos MUST NOT be nested inside of links or other interactive elements.

Captions

  • Text synchronized with the media, for people who cannot hear the spoken words.

Transcripts

  • The full text of the spoken words and important visual information in the media file, to read as an alternative to watching or listening to the media file.

Audio Description

  • A version of the media file with a narrator explaining important visual information (such as unspoken actions and events) for the benefit of people who cannot see what's happening.

When to Use Captions, Transcripts, Audio Description, and Sign Language

Captions Transcript Audio Descriptions (AD) Sign Language
Pre-Recorded Multimedia
  • A: MUST
  • AA: MUST
  • AAA: MUST
  • A: SHOULD
  • AA: SHOULD
  • AAA: MUST
  • A: MUST
  • AA: MUST
  • AAA: MUST
  • A: MAY
  • AA: MAY
  • AAA: MUST
Pre-Recorded Video-only n/a
  • A: SHOULD
  • AA: SHOULD
  • AAA: MUST
  • A: MUST
  • AA: MUST
  • AAA: MUST
 n/a
Pre-Recorded Audio-only n/a
  • A: MUST
  • AA: MUST
  • AAA: MUST
 n/a
  • A: MAY
  • AA: MAY
  • AAA: MAY
Live Multimedia
  • A: SHOULD
  • AA: MUST
  • AAA: MUST
 n/a
  • A: MAY
  • AA: MAY
  • AAA: MAY
  • A: MAY
  • AA: MAY
  • AAA: MAY
Live Video-only n/a
  • A: MAY
  • AA: MAY
  • AAA: MUST
  • A: MAY
  • AA: MAY
  • AAA: MAY
 n/a
Live Audio-only
  • A: MAY
  • AA: MAY
  • AAA: MUST*

* AAA: Captions OR Transcript
  • A: MAY
  • AA: MAY
  • AAA: MUST*

* AAA: Captions OR Transcript

 n/a
  • A: MAY
  • AA: MAY
  • AAA: MAY