Overview
Video, audio, webinars, presentations, and other multimedia content play an important role in how UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) communicates, teaches, and shares information.
To be accessible, multimedia content must provide alternatives for users who cannot see visual content, cannot hear audio content, or cannot use standard methods of interacting with media.
Accessible multimedia benefits everyone, including users in noisy environments, users with limited bandwidth, people learning in a second language, people who prefer reading to watching, and people who use assistive technologies.
Provide Accurate Captions
Captions are one of the most important accessibility features for video content.
Captions provide a text version of spoken dialogue and important audio information, allowing users who are deaf or hard of hearing to access the content.
Best practices:
- Caption all prerecorded video content.
- Review and correct automatically generated captions.
- Include meaningful speaker identification when appropriate.
- Include important non-speech audio information when relevant.
Examples:
- "[applause]"
- "[laughter]"
- "[music playing]"
Automatically generated captions can provide a starting point, but they should always be reviewed for accuracy before publication.
Provide Transcripts When Appropriate
Transcripts present spoken content in a text format.
Transcripts can be valuable for:
- Recorded presentations
- Podcasts
- Audio-only content
- Webinars
- Educational materials
Benefits include:
- Easier review and reference
- Improved searchability
- Alternative access to audio information
- Support for users who prefer reading
In some cases, providing both captions and a transcript offers the best user experience.
Describe Important Visual Information
Not all information in a video is spoken.
When visual information is necessary to understand the content, ensure it is communicated in an accessible way.
Examples include:
- Demonstrations
- Charts and graphs
- Screen recordings
- Text displayed on screen
- Visual instructions
Whenever practical, presenters should verbally describe important visual information during the recording.
For example:
Instead of:
"As you can see here..."
Consider:
"The chart shows a steady increase in participation between 2023 and 2026."
Users should not need to rely solely on visual information to understand the content.
Create Accessible Presentations
When recording webinars, trainings, or presentations:
- Use accessible slide templates.
- Provide meaningful slide titles.
- Use sufficient color contrast.
- Add alternative text to important images.
- Avoid overcrowded slides.
- Use readable font sizes.
- Describe important visuals verbally.
Presentation accessibility supports both live audiences and recorded viewers.
For additional guidance, review Documents & PDFs.
Ensure Media Controls Are Accessible
Users should be able to operate video and audio players using a keyboard and assistive technologies.
When selecting media platforms or players:
- Ensure controls are keyboard accessible.
- Provide accessible play, pause, and volume controls.
- Support captions and transcripts.
- Avoid inaccessible custom media players.
Accessibility should be considered when selecting third-party media platforms and services.
Support Live Events and Webinars
Accessibility applies to live events as well as recorded content.
For live webinars and virtual events, consider:
- Live captioning services
- Automated captions when appropriate
- Accessible presentation materials
- Accessible chat and Q&A features
- Verbal description of important visual content
Planning for accessibility before an event is generally more effective than addressing barriers during the event.
Avoid Automatically Playing Media
Autoplaying video or audio can create significant accessibility and usability challenges.
Users may:
- Use screen readers
- Have difficulty locating audio controls
- Experience distractions or interruptions
- Access content in shared environments
Whenever possible:
- Allow users to control media playback.
- Avoid automatically starting audio.
- Clearly identify media content and controls.
Provide Accessible Multimedia Alternatives
Some users may prefer or require alternatives to video content.
Consider providing:
- Written summaries
- Transcripts
- Downloadable resources
- Presentation slides
- Supplemental documentation
Providing information in multiple formats can improve accessibility and usability for a wide range of users.
Common Mistakes
Common multimedia accessibility issues include:
- Missing captions
- Inaccurate captions
- Lack of transcripts
- Important visual information not described verbally
- Inaccessible presentation slides
- Autoplaying media
- Unlabeled speakers
- Poor audio quality
- Reliance on visuals alone to communicate key information
Addressing these issues helps ensure that multimedia content remains accessible to a broader audience.
Before Publishing
Before publishing multimedia content, consider the following questions:
- Does the video include accurate captions?
- Is a transcript needed?
- Is important visual information explained verbally?
- Are presentation materials accessible?
- Can users operate media controls using a keyboard?
- Is autoplay disabled?
- Are alternative formats available when appropriate?
Accessibility review should be a standard part of the multimedia production and publishing process.
Accessibility Is Part of Effective Communication
Multimedia accessibility is not only about compliance. It is about ensuring that information is available to the widest possible audience.
By incorporating captions, transcripts, accessible presentation practices, and thoughtful media design into everyday workflows, UC ANR can create more inclusive and effective digital experiences for everyone.