Audio Descriptions for Online Video

When Does an Online Video Need Audio Description?

*From Australian Network on Disability

A video with audio description will have a separate audio track that describes what’s happening on screen for those who can’t see it. Key visual elements, such as actions, scenery, expressions and on-screen text, are described by the narrator to ensure people who are blind or have low vision don’t miss out on important visual information.

Think about it in the context of a promotional video on your website, an instructional video within an online learning course, or a live interview shared on social media. Do all of these need audio descriptions to be accessible?

From an online and technical point of view, the answer lies with the World Wide Web Consortium, or W3C. Through its Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) – the global standard for web accessibility – the W3C specifies three levels of conformance when it comes to audio description: Level A, Level AA and Level AAA. But unless you’re fairly well-versed in the Guidelines, deciding when audio description is needed can still be tricky.

Thankfully, Vision Australia has come up with three easy-to-follow decision trees to make it simpler….

*For more information, read the full article at Australian Network on Disability

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