In the digital era, additional information is becoming available virtually in video. However, for people with disabilities consuming video accessibility content can be a trial.

As video creators, creating video accessibility is vital to level the singing field and permit everyone – irrespective of ability – equal and easy access to online media.

10 ways to improve video accessibility

Now let's get started with the tips!

1.     Select colors with contrast.

When scripting and storyboarding visual content, paying attention to color and design is vital. When talking about video accessibility and color, the distinction is significant. Confirm that the difference is great enough so that users can easily distinguish between each graphic element.

2. Pay attention to fonts

The correct font can make all the alterations for people with low vision. 

An accessible font should:

• be easy to read and legible. 
• have separate letters
• not contain any pretty embellishments

While the WCAG or the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) doesn't describe specific sizes or fonts for video accessibility, a few design morals have emerged gradually that are almost collectively accepted.

3. Use an accessible video player

Making video accessibility doesn't only include the authentic content of the video but also how and where it is brought. This means using manageable video players. An accessible media player has the succeeding features:

• Support for descriptions, transcripts, and captions. 
• Keyboard-operated controls, such as volume, pause and play buttons
• Handy labels for buttons for assistive technologies, like screen readers

4. Avoid autoplay

An additional tip that relates to video content delivery is evading auto-play.

If a video plays spontaneously when the webpage loads, it can cause disorientation and confusion for users. Also, the audio can cause intervention for people using assistive technology, for instance, screen readers.

5. Create top-quality audio

Audio and video content often go hand-in-hand. Creating top-quality voiceovers and a pleasing audio experience is vital not only for video accessibility considerations but for the consumer experience as a whole.

Yet, if you are targeting WCAG-level AAA compliance, you must also decrease background music to house people with cognitive or hearing disabilities.

There are various things you need to pay thoughtfulness to when recording voice overs. Clear diction, a quiet environment to avoid background noise, and top-quality equipment are some of the most vital elements of a great voiceover.

6. Use clear language and enunciate well

This tip is valuable not only for the captioners but also for the viewers of the video. Speak as gently as appropriate, pronounce and enunciate the words well, and pause between topics.

While this is not essential for WCAG compliance, it will assist hard-of-hearing people to appreciate your content better and enhance the timing for sign language overlay and captions (if relevant).

Using industry-specific jargon or metaphors in the video's dialogue can cause misunderstanding, as some people with intellectual impairments can construe the content factually.

7. Add captions/subtitles

Subtitles and captions are possibly the most widely-used methods for refining video accessibility.

Captions: Captions offer printed information for people who have difficulty hearing the audio, have hearing impairments, or are deaf. 

Subtitles: While subtitles are certainly a nice-to-have feature for making your videos accessible multinational, they are not compulsory to be ADA or WCAG-compliant. 

8. Comprise audio description

In distinction to captions, which offer audio content in a printed form for deaf/hard of hearing people, the audio description does the reverse –it offers visual content in an audio form for visually impaired or blind people. 

The W3C discriminates between 3 types of audio descriptions:

1. Integrated description

2. Alternative video

3. Separate file

9. Provide video transcripts

For people that are both blind and deaf, audio descriptions and closed captions won't be useful. That's where descriptive transcripts come into the picture. 

Descriptive transcripts pool the non-speech and speech audio and significant visual elements of the video in one file. Or, in easy terms - they're full text-based equals of videos. 

Graphic transcripts make video accessibility content for deaf-blind people, who can understand and translate the transcripts using braille devices.

10. Avoid fast-flashing content

For people who have sensitive seizure disorders, fast-flashing data can be a cause. Regarding content and video on web pages, binding flashing to no more than 3 times per second is recommended. 

Wrapping up

Creating auto-play video accessibility can be time-consuming and quite daunting. Still, with the correct tools, and a bit of automation and planning, you can make your video accessible to people of all abilities.

It has certainly not been easier. With AI video producers, you can generate videos from Mark and fully tailor them subsequently.  

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