Creating Accessible Video Content: A Quick Guide

Our simpleshows can provide transcripts, closed captioning, sign language picture-in-picture video, slower pacing, audio descriptions, and no background music if requested. Our simpleshow interactives can provide reading and navigational order that is logical and intuitive, as well as, audio control, keyboard accessibility, adjustable timing, and larger text size and text spacing if needed. Learn how to create accessible video content suited to every need of your target group in our article.

Over one billion people worldwide experience some form of disability. Accessibility addresses various disabilities (auditory, cognitive, neurological, physical, speech, and visual) and uses assistive technologies with hardware/software that enables these people to interact with digital environments, e.g. screen readers. Currently, many websites and digital platforms are not accessible to website users – which not only means they cannot understand your site, but you might even be breaking the law. 

The WCAG, or Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, were created under the ADA to ensure that businesses make their online content consumable by everyone. While the law around WCAG is still a bit murky, making your content more accessible will only help you and your business.  So how do you create accessible video content? To begin with, accessible video content revolves around captions, a transcript, audio description, and audio-video players. Here are some ways you can adjust your website platforms to accommodate internet users with a disability. 

 

Closed and open captions

Captions provide accommodations for people with hearing impairments since they are unable to hear the audio. It is also for people who are in busy environments or when viewers are not able to properly listen to your video. Closed captions are provided to turn on and off on videos. Great news! simpleshow video maker provides the option to add subtitles on all your videos to help meet these accommodations. In addition, adding sign language to translate videos is an additional way to accommodate those who are hard of hearing. 

 

Video design

An explainer video.

The design of a video has a very important role in video accessibility. If the video design is too busy, it will be difficult to follow and translate. simpleshow video maker allows you to change the speed of the animations to slow, medium, or fast to provide an easy-to-follow format, slower pacing, and picture-in-picture video. Ensure the videos are accommodating for those with photosensitivity by preventing flashing effects and fast transitions. Although it doesn’t make your content more accessible, consider representation in your content. Allowing different disability characters in your content will increase the likelihood that disabled viewers see themselves represented in your message. 

 

Color choices in video content

People with color vision deficiencies can’t distinguish between red, blue, and green. A contrast checker It’s a good idea to create a clear background for your text to ensure it is readable to your audience with color vision deficiency. In simpleshow video maker, there are settings to adjust the color of the illustrations to your liking. The whiteboard format makes it easy to read the text and translate the message. Also, our library of 6,000 scribble images is available to use in high-contrast black & white colorways.

 

Transcribe your visual and audio media

A camera next to a laptop next to a transcript.

Some people with visual and auditory impairments may need more accommodations other than watching a video on their own. A transcript helps with translating what is said in a video and is also a great tool for creating additional content. A transcript can be a cleaned-up supplemental article that pairs with your video content. It is also possible to transcribe webinars and other live videos to ensure you are catering to all audiences.

The preceding steps are just the beginning of online video accessibility. Take it upon yourself to contribute to making the digital scene more inclusive by making your website, as a whole, more accessible.