ADA Multimedia Requirements


Requirements

W.C.A.G 2.1 requires all prerecorded video and audio to have text transcripts preferably in HTML format but an accessible plain text document is acceptable as well.

    The table below explains when captions, a transcript, an audio description and/or sign language is required for multimedia files. Note that often a combination of two or more items are required.

      Definitions for terms used in the table below:

      • "MUST" indicates a required technique
      • "SHOULD" indicates a technique that is not required but is highly desirable to benefit the widest range of consumers, including people with multiple disabilities.
      • "MAY" indicates a technique that goes above and beyond the requirements and may be out of reach for many boards, commissions & agencies.

      Multimedia Requirements

       

      Captions

      Transcript

      Audio Descriptions (AD)

      Sign Language

      Pre-recorded Multimedia

      • A: MUST
      • AA: MUST
      • AAA: MUST
       
      • A: SHOULD
      • AA: SHOULD
      • AAA: MUST
       
      • A: MUST
      • AA: MUST
      • AAA: MUST
       
      • A: MAY
      • AA: MAY
      • AAA: MUST
       

      Pre-recorded Video-only

      n/a

      • A: MUST*
      • AA: SHOULD
      • AAA: MUST

      * A: Transcript OR Audio Descriptions

      • A: MUST*
      • AA: MUST
      • AAA: MUST

      * A: Transcript OR Audio Descriptions

      n/a

      Pre-recorded Audio-only

      n/a

      • A: MUST
      • AA: MUST
      • AAA: MUST
       

      n/a

      • A: MAY
      • AA: MAY
      • AAA: MAY
       

      Live Multimedia

      • A: SHOULD
      • AA: MUST
      • AAA: MUST
       

      n/a

      • A: MAY
      • AA: MAY
      • AAA: MAY
       
      • A: MAY
      • AA: MAY
      • AAA: MAY
       

      Live Video-only

      n/a

      • A: MAY
      • AA: MAY
      • AAA: MUST
       
      • A: MAY
      • AA: MAY
      • AAA: MAY
       

      n/a

      Live Audio-only

      • A: MAY
      • AA: MAY
      • AAA: MUST*

      * AAA: Captions OR Transcript

      • A: MAY
      • AA: MAY
      • AAA: MUST*

      * AAA: Captions OR Transcript

      n/a

      • A: MAY
      • AA: MAY
      • AAA: MAY
       

        Three Categories of Time-based Media

        • Audio-only (podcasts, audio lecture)
          • Provide a text transcript of the spoken word. HTML is preferred, but it can be an accessible document of another format such as .TXT.
        • Video-only (no narration, silent movie)
          • If you provide a video without an audio track, provide a video description (a text description of the key actions that are taking place in the video).
          • The video description should be included with the dialogue as part of the text transcript.
        • Multimedia (synchronized audio & video)
          • If the video has audio, provide synchronized closed captions, the text transcript and the video descriptions.

        Other groups like people with hearing impairments, learning disabilities and language barriers benefit from transcripts as well.

          There are four methods for providing alternatives for time-based media:

            • Captions: synchronized visual text alternative for both speech and non-speech audio information needed to understand the media content
            • Transcripts: a document including text descriptions of visual and auditory information needed to understand the media content
              • Provide a text transcript of the spoken word. HTML is preferred, but it can be an accessible document of another format such as .TXT.
               
            • Audio descriptions: narration added to the soundtrack to describe important visual details that cannot be understood from the main soundtrack alone
            • Sign language: a visual translation of a spoken language using combinations of movements of the hands and arms, facial expressions, or body positions to convey meaning

              Not every type of alternative applies to each media type.  For example, video-only content does not require captions and an audio-description is not needed for audio-only content.

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