Text Equivalents

Text captioning is synchronized with the audio, and audio/video content.

Users who are deaf or hard of hearing will not be able to directly access auditory information. Similarly, users may mot have speakers or headphones available. Or, a user's machine/device may be located in a noisy environment that makes understanding of audio output difficult or impossible. When a multimedia presentation includes references to objects, actions, and/or procedural steps, it is essential that the audio-visual content and text captioning be synchronized.

Captions and audio descriptions may be integrated into multimedia as a user-selectable option (closed) or permanently recorded along with the audio or video (open). Closed captions and descriptions are user selectable and may be toggled on and off by a preferences setting, a menu option, or — in some cases — a button on the player interface. Open captions and descriptions cannot be turned off.

Enabling Captions

Enabling captions in QuickTime Pro

1. From the Edit menu, select "Enable Tracks...".
2. Enable "Text Track".
3. Select OK.

Note: The free QuickTime player does not provide the option to enable/disable captions. Only QuickTime Pro has this option. In QuickTime 6.5 or later, captions are enabled by default.

Enabling captions in Real Player or RealOne Player

• From the Tools menu (the View menu in older versions), select "Preferences...".
• Select the "Content" category.
• Select "Show subtitles"
• Select "Use supplemental text captioning when available."

Enabling captions in Windows Media Player 10

1. From the Tools menu, select "Options...".
2. Select the “Security” tab.
3. Check the "Show local captions when present" box.
4. Select OK.
5. To toggle captions, press Ctrl+Shift+C (or select "Captions and Subtitles > On if Available" in the Play menu).

Enabling captions in Windows Media Player 9

1. To toggle captions, press Ctrl+Shift+C (or select "Captions and Subtitles" > "On if Available" in the Play menu).

Enabling captions in Windows Media Player 7 and 8

1. From the View menu, select "Now Playing Tools" > "Captions".

Enabling Descriptive Audio

Enabling descriptive audio in QuickTime Pro

1. From the Edit menu, select "Enable Tracks...".
2. Enable the descriptive audio track.
3. Select OK.

strong>Note: The free QuickTime player does not provide the option to enable/disable descriptive audio. Only QuickTime Pro has this option. In QuickTime 6.5 or later, descriptive audio is enabled by default.

Enabling descriptive audio in Real Player or RealOne Player

1. From the Tools menu, select "Preferences..." (the View menu in older versions).
2. Select the "Content" category.
3. Select "Play descriptive audio when available."

Windows Media Player

Windows Media Player currently does not provide support for a separate descriptive audio track.

Standards

• Decorative and layout images possess empty alt attributes or useful metadata.
• Icons and non-decorative/layout images possess meaningful and useful ALT attributes.
• ALT attributes for icons and form controls match the onscreen image text.
• Objects/applets include text descriptions and accessible alternative content/functionality is provided.
• Audio, audio/video and other multimedia elements are accompanied by text transcripts.
• Text captioning is synchronized with the audio, and audio/video content.
• Multimedia content is accessible using external players.
• Best Practices

Web Accessibility Standards

• Navigation and Orientation
• Content and Data
• Text Equivalents
• Styling and Layout
• Scripting and Automation
• Document Specifications
• Assessment Tool

Policy and Standards

• 2.8.4 AIT Policy
• Web Standards
• Hardware Standards
• Software Standards
• Frequently Asked Questions