1.2.3: Audio Description or Media Alternative (Prerecorded)
1.2.3 Audio Description or Media Alternative (Prerecorded) ensures that audio descriptions or media alternatives are provided for all prerecorded video content. This guideline aims to make video content accessible to individuals who are blind or have low vision by providing descriptive audio or alternative content that conveys visual information.
Importance of 1.2.3 Audio Description or Media Alternative (Prerecorded)
Providing audio descriptions or media alternatives is crucial for ensuring that people with visual impairments can fully understand and engage with video content. For example, a movie scene depicting critical plot points through visual actions or gestures would be inaccessible to blind users without audio descriptions. Similarly, instructional videos that rely on visual demonstrations need audio descriptions to convey the same information to visually impaired users. Without such accommodations, these users would miss out on essential content, leading to unequal access and a lack of inclusivity.
1.2.3 Audio Description or Media Alternative (Prerecorded) Use Cases
Educational Videos:
Instructional content explaining complex processes or demonstrations (e.g., science experiments, cooking tutorials). Lectures where visual aids, such as slides or diagrams, are used to convey important information.
Entertainment Media:
Movies and TV shows where critical plot elements, character actions, and scene changes need to be described. Live performances or theater productions that are recorded and shared online.
Corporate Training:
Employee training videos that include visual demonstrations or procedural walk-throughs. Onboarding materials where visual aids are used to explain company policies or processes.
Public Service Announcements:
Government or organizational announcements that include visual statistics, charts, or instructional content. Emergency broadcasts that use visual alerts or maps.
Marketing and Promotional Content:
Advertisements that rely on visual storytelling to convey a message or promote a product. Product demos where the features and uses of a product are visually displayed.
Webinars and Virtual Events:
Online seminars where speakers use slides, charts, and other visual aids to support their presentations. Virtual conferences that include prerecorded sessions with significant visual components.