Accessibility guidelines like the WCAG, or other similar best practices, provide detailed information about how to implement videos to make them technically accessible. Thanks to these documents, we understand the need for captions, sign language versions, and sufficient audio contrasts to accommodate the needs for users with auditory impairments.
However, these guidelines say nothing about how to shoot, edit, or post-product a video, in order to make it more understandable or usable by people with different abilities. Which is logical with regards to the technical orientation of the WCAG and their spawns: this “editorial” aspect of making videos not being in their scope. Yet, video makers, through their design choices, can influence the overall accessibility of video content. This presentation aims at proposing hints and tips to video makers, answering questions like:
- Which fonts are best suited for captions and on-screen texts?
- How to select voices in order to optimise audio contrasts?
- Which angles or framing are preferable?
- How to insert a sign language version?
The layout of the presentation:
- Understanding the different types of hearing impairments
- The wide variety of D&HoH users’ needs
- Captioning and on-screen texts
- Sign language inserts
- Lip reading facilitation
- Dealing with low literacy
- Optimising audio comprehension
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Making videos more accessible to the Deaf and the Hard-of-hearing
1. MAKING VIDEOS MORE ACCESSIBLE
TO THE DEAF AND THE HARD-OF-HEARING
Olivier NOURRY – Qelios.fr
@OlivierNourry
A11YLDN 2012 1
2. What is it about?
Accessible videos? You have seen that already –
everything is in the WCAG.
True – WCAG and similar resources tell you all about
the technical side of things:
Implement captions – ok
Ensure sufficient audio contrast – nice
Implement sign language version – makes sense
But what about the editorial point of view?
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3. Things we will discuss here
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As a video maker, how can I make more educated
choices when preparing, shooting, editing, or post-
producing my movie?
We’ll try to answer questions like:
Which fonts are best suited for captions and on-screen texts?
How to insert a sign language version?
Which angles or framing are preferable?
How to select voices in order to optimise audio contrasts?
4. A word on creativity
All these tips will somehow limit your creative
freedom.
I admit it.
Now, when you make a video for the Web, are you
creating a message vehicle, or a piece of art?
The answer to that question will determine whether
what follows is useful to you, or not.
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5. Some things you need to know
There’s not just one kind of hearing impairment:
Some people don’t hear at all
Some have never heard; others have heard, but not anymore
Some people hear only loud sounds and voices
Some people hear only certain frequencies
Some people hear well, but are disturbed by some sounds
(hyperacousis, tinnitus)
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6. Different situations, different needs
Some people will heavily rely on captions, others
won’t use them
Some will need sign language exclusively
Some will combine hearing or reading with lip-
reading
Some people will require louder sounds, others will
need a constant volume or pitches
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8. Users needs for on-screen texts
Generally, texts remain on screen for a very short time.
The reader must be able to read them quickly, with as
few errors as possible.
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9. Your top priority: be legible
Factors that affect on-screen legibility:
Consistence of fonts, sizes, and effects
Font face
Relative size
Colour contrasts
Colour combinations
Spacings, alignment, orientation
Quantity of text
Spelling and punctuation
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10. Consistence of fonts, sizes and effects
How fast can you read that?
“Giddy Fortune's furious fickle wheel,
That goddess b l i n d ,
That stands upon the rollingRESTLESS stone.”
William Shakespeare (in Henry V)
Simple rule: be consistent, vary only when
necessary
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11. Font face: What makes a good choice
Looks familiar to most (avoid exoticism)
Limits confusion between characters (f & t, l & 1, S & 5,
etc.); some combinations (rn & m, cl & d, oj & g, etc.); and
symetric characters (p & q, b & d).
Works well at low resolutions (media and/or device)
Includes a large set of characters: accented, graphic
symbols (like music notes), etc.
Allows a sufficient density (lines will be short)
Variations like Bold, Italics, Condensed, should be available
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12. Font face: What makes a poor choice
Fonts designed for printing
Serif types (Times, Courier, etc.)
Palatino, Bookman
Fonts from the Grotesk family (Arial, Univers,
Helvetica)
Tiresia, Geneva
Cursive and scripted fonts in general
Note: fonts like Verdana, Trebuchet, Georgia, are ok for some
texts, but not for captions and subtitles
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13. Font face: Some good choices
– Officina Sans Book
– Officina Sans Medium
– Unit
– Fago
– Taz
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14. Font face: about captions/subtitles
Fonts like Verdana, Trebuchet, Georgia, are ok for
some texts, but not for captions and subtitles.
Font of the slabserifs type work well at low
resolutions, therefore they are appropriate for
captions and subtitles:
Rockwell:
Serifa:
Lucida:
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15. Size
Text height between 1/10th and 1/25th of the
media height.
A practical value of 1/20th is generally applied.
(so, yes, size matters)
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16. Contrasts
A good contrast will make your viewers happier!
Apply WCAG rules:
At least 4,5:1 for sufficient contrast
At least 7:1 for improved contrast.
Tips:
Insert a background (eg. very dark grey, half transparent)
behind captions
Insert borders or shadows around the characters.
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17. Colour combinations
Some colour combinations are more legible than
others, especially for people with dyslexia or
colourblindness:
Avoid pure black on pure white; look for very dark grays on
very light grays
Avoid red/green, orange/green, yellow/green, blue-
green/magenta, blue-green/purple, blue-green/blue
Prefer couples of colours chosen in {rust, terracotta, pale
yellow} or {light purple, navy blue, magenta}
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18. Spacing, alignment, orientation
Stick with the default letter spacing
Too wide reduces the quantity of text on screen
Too narrow reduces legibility
Line spacing: 1.5 times the characters height.
Left, right, or centered. Do not justify.
Avoid vertical, reversed, or mirrored text.
Avoid moving, flashing, or blinking texts.
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19. Quantity
Per line: 75 to 85 characters.
One or two lines if possible, 3 being a maximum.
Note: captions must be synchronized with the video, so there
might be some tough choices to make in some cases.
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20. Spelling and punctuation
Provide correct spelling and grammar.
Use accented letters where appropriate, even on
capital letters.
Provide correct punctuation, especially for long
texts and phrases.
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22. Sign language: things to know
A language of its own:
Not a mere transposition of oral languages
Syntax and grammar differ totally
Defines a whole culture
See written language as a « second language »
All the body participates: hands, chest, face…
Different countries, different SLs.
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23. Filming a signer
Active parts of the signer’s body must be visible
Show face, chest, hands and arms
Find the right distance
Good lighting, clear background
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http://www.lifeprint.com/asl101/pages-signs/c/cat.htm
24. Size of the signed video
The smaller the insert, the harder it is to interpret.
If possible: make the signed video as large as the main
content.
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25. Signing complexity
Sign language can convey complexity as well as oral
languages do.
However, expect difficulties when interpreting humour,
complex narration, destructured times or places, or
jargon-laden content.
Ask an SL interpret for advice at pre-production
level.
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27. A bit of myth busting
Lip reading is not a super power that replaces hearing.
It may be used to help comprehension, but is not
reliable enough in itself.
Only 30 to 40% of English sounds are distinguishable
from sight alone.
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28. Lip reading, a misnomer
It’s not only the mouth, but the whole face that is
« read ».
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Not enough OK
http://www.flickr.com/photos/scazon/3617748008/
29. Filming talking subjects
Face or three-quarter shots.
Find the right distance, the right lighting.
Avoid obstructions (facial hair, veils, masks…).
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Not good Better
31. A common issue
For native signers, written language is a second
language, at best.
Reading can be difficult, when not impossible.
Avoid large chunks of text
Aim for clarity
Apply tips on legibility (on-screen texts section)
Whenever possible, provide a signed version.
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33. A note about users needs
People who are hard-of-hearing may use amplification:
Via the content player, or their system
Via hearing aids.
Some people hear fairly well, except for some
frequencies:
They don’t hear them, or not well enough
Or they hear them too well (hyperacousis).
Some people do not recognize or differentiate sounds
or voices (auditory agnosia).
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34. Ensure sufficient audio contrast
WCAG2 recommend a 20dB contrast between dialogues and
background. What does that mean?
A quiet conversation in a library
A normal conversation in a forest
In a noisy street or restaurant, this would require to shout
Avoid filming in noisy places.
Whenever possible, at post-production, muffle background
noises and enhance (or re-record) voices.
Insert captions or visual cues where appropriate.
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35. Avoid overlapping sounds
One voice at a time.
Reduce background noises, music, or dialogues, or any
other interfering sounds.
Bonus: it also improves focus on the main dialogue.
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36. Choose distinct voices
If there is a narrator, choose a voice very distinct from
those in the video.
A male voice if most voices in the video are female
An adult voice if most voices in the video are from children
or youngsters
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37. Avoid pitch and volume variations
From the beginning of the video, the users should be
able to tune their system or hearing aid appropriately.
Important variations will cause pain or discomfort, and
will require constant adjusting.
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38. Thank you!
Olivier Nourry
Business Development Manager at Qelios
@OlivierNourry
about.me/oliviernourry
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39. References
W3C/WAI : Media Accessibility User Requirements: http://www.w3.org/TR/media-accessibility-
reqs/
W3C/WAI : Media Accessibility Checklist:
http://www.w3.org/WAI/PF/HTML/wiki/Media_Accessibility_Checklist
Joe Clark : Best practices in online captioning: http://joeclark.org/access/captioning/bpoc/
Wikipedia : article : « Comparaison du volume de sources courantes de bruit » (in French):
http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparaison_du_volume_de_sources_courantes_de_bruit
UX Movement : 6 Surprising Bad Practices That Hurt Dyslexic Users:
http://uxmovement.com/content/6-surprising-bad-practices-that-hurt-dyslexic-users/
UX Matters: Ensuring Accessibility for People With Color-Deficient Vision:
http://www.uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2007/02/ensuring-accessibility-for-people-with-color-
deficient-vision.php
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