WCAG 1.2 or Understanding the Video

Hi, welcome back to No Stress Web Success. I’m Lisa Bowers, founder of Five Penny Web Studio. This is our series, Accessibility for Humans—a practical podcast for busy leaders who want to make their website and digital content more accessible without getting overwhelmed by technical language.

Last week, we talked about making the words and sounds in audio and video available through transcripts and captions. Today, we’re turning our attention to the picture—the information someone might miss if they can’t see the video.

We’ll look at three WCAG success criteria: 1.2.1, 1.2.3, and 1.2.5. The numbers sound technical, but the idea behind today’s episode is simple: if something important is shown on the screen, is it also available in any other way?

Let’s walk through that question with one example. Imagine your organization has made a short video about a community grant program. A narrator explains who can apply and when applications are due. On screen, we also see a map, a chart showing grant amounts, and a demonstration of where to click to start an application. Someone listening to the video can hear the narrator, but if the map, chart, or demonstration is never described, they may miss part of the message. That’s where today’s criteria come in.

1.2.1 – Audio-Only and Video-Only Media (Pre-recorded)

This one is about media that has only one kind of sensory information. A podcast or audio recording is audio-only. A silent video or animation is video-only.

For a pre-recorded audio-only piece, like a podcast episode or an MP3, provide a descriptive transcript. A transcript should include the spoken words and any other audio information that matters to understanding the content.

For a video-only piece, provide either a descriptive transcript or an audio track that explains the important visual information. If the video is decorative and communicates nothing meaningful, an alternative may not be needed.

So if the video is a silent demonstration of how to apply for the grant, a useful alternative would explain the steps shown. A person who uses a computer would probably not tell someone enough. The applicant selects “Start an Application,” enters their organization’s name, and chooses a grant category—that gives the viewer useful information.

Here is the distinction to keep in mind: 1.2.1 is about audio-only or video-only media. It’s not the main criterion for a typical video that has both spoken audio and a visual track. We’ll get to that next.

A practical tip for your team is straightforward:

• Does our website have a podcast or audio recording? Is there a descriptive transcript nearby?
• Do we have a silent video that communicates something important? Is that information available through a transcript or audio?

That’s the heart of 1.2.1.

1.2.3 – Audio Description or Media Alternative (Pre-recorded)

Let’s return to our grant program video, which includes both audio and visuals. Criterion 1.2.3 asks whether there is a way to access important visual information that the audio does not communicate.

WebAIM’s checklist describes two possible approaches: provide a descriptive transcript, or provide audio description. The need depends on what’s in the video.

If all important visual information is already conveyed in the audio, an additional description may not be necessary.

So let’s apply that to our example. The narrator says, “Applications are due on October 15th.” Great—that deadline is spoken. A person who can’t see the screen can hear it. But the video also shows a chart with different grant amounts. The narrator never reads those amounts out loud—that information is visual only. Someone who cannot see the chart may not know which grant level applies to them.

One option is a descriptive transcript that includes the important visual details as well as the spoken words. Another option is an audio description—spoken narration that explains relevant visuals during suitable pauses in the original audio.

The choice of alternative can depend on the video and how people are meant to use it. The key question is not “Does the video have visuals?” It’s “Do the visuals contain important information that the audio leaves out?”

A talking-head video can be a helpful example. If a speaker simply talks to the camera and there’s no other meaningful visual information, additional description may not be needed for this criterion. But if the video shows an important chart, a process, a location, a person’s action, or text on a screen that is never spoken, those details need to be considered.

Here are a few review questions:

• Is important text shown on the screen but not read out loud?
• Do charts, maps, or diagrams add information?
• Does the video show steps or actions that aren’t explained?
• Would someone listening with the screen off understand the same important message?

If the answer to that last question is no, consider adding a descriptive transcript or audio description to your media.

1.2.5 – Audio Description (Pre-recorded)

Success criterion 1.2.5 is also about pre-recorded video with important visual information that isn’t already in the audio. It requires audio description at Level AA.

If the relevant visual information is already conveyed through audio, additional audio description is not needed.

Audio description is spoken narration that adds important visual details. It might describe an action, a scene change, text on a screen, or something happening that the main speaker doesn’t explain. For the grant program, an audio description might say: “On screen, a map highlights the three counties eligible for funding.” Or: “The application page opens and the cursor selects Start an Application.”

Descriptions are usually placed during pauses in the dialogue so they don’t compete with what’s being said. Some video players offer a separate audio description track. In other cases, the main narration can be written and edited to include the essential visual information naturally.

Here is the relationship between 1.2.3 and 1.2.5 in plain language:

• 1.2.3 offers a choice. A descriptive transcript or audio description can provide access to important visual information.
• 1.2.5 adds the Level AA requirement. Audio description is provided for pre-recorded video when important visual information is not already in the audio.

If you’ve chosen audio description to meet 1.2.3, that can also meet 1.2.5 as well.

You don’t need to remember every technical detail to start improving your content. Just remember this: if someone needs to see the screen to get important information, the audio—or a suitable alternative—should communicate that information.

Make This Practical

Choose one important video on your website—perhaps one that explains a service, tells a program story, or helps people complete a task.

First, listen to the audio without looking at the screen. Ask yourself: Do I get all the important information?
Then, watch the video with the sound off. Ask yourself: Is there anything important shown that I didn’t hear?

If the answer to both of those questions is yes—that is, the audio explains the important visuals, and the visuals don’t add essential information that’s missing from the audio—there may be no additional description needed for these criteria.

If the video-only view reveals more important details, decide how people will access them. That could mean improving the narration, creating a descriptive transcript, or providing audio description.

You can start with just one video. You don’t need to review every piece of media on your website today.

Recap

• 1.2.1 is for pre-recorded audio-only and video-only content. Audio-only content needs a descriptive transcript. Video-only content needs a descriptive transcript or an audio track that conveys the important visual information.
• 1.2.3 addresses important visual information in pre-recorded video that isn’t already communicated through audio. A descriptive transcript or an audio description can provide an alternative.
• 1.2.5 requires audio description at Level AA when pre-recorded video contains important visual information that the main audio does not convey.

And the question to carry with you is: If someone couldn’t see this video, would they still get the important information? If not, look for the missing details and decide how to make them available.

Accessibility work can feel like a long list of requirements, but it often begins with a simple act of noticing. Notice what your video communicates through sound. Notice what it communicates through the picture. Then make sure people aren’t left out of important information because it was presented to them in only one way.

For your small action this week, pick one video on your website and try listening with the screen turned away. Write down any important details you would miss, then decide how to provide those details in audio or text.

Thank you for joining me today. Again, I’m Lisa with Five Penny Web Studio, and we’ll keep taking this one practical step at a time. In the meantime, if you have any questions, leave feedback for us or visit our website at fivepennyweb.com. And if you enjoyed our content or found it useful, please leave us a review. I will see you again on Friday.