---
name: multimedia-accessibility
description: "Design accessible video, audio, and multimedia content with captions, transcripts, and audio descriptions. Use when creating or reviewing video, audio, podcasts, webinars, animations, or any time-based media. Triggers on: captions, subtitles, transcript, audio description, video accessibility, podcast accessibility, multimedia, closed captions, sign language, media player, autoplay."
---

# Multimedia Accessibility

Design multimedia content that can be consumed by people who can't
hear the audio, can't see the video, or can't process both at once.

## Core Principle

Every piece of information conveyed through one sense must also be
available through another. Audio content needs a visual equivalent.
Visual content needs an audio or text equivalent.

## Captions

### What Captions Include
- All spoken dialogue, attributed to the speaker
- Relevant sound effects: [door slams], [phone rings], [laughter]
- Music that conveys mood or meaning: [upbeat music], [tense score]
- Off-screen sounds that matter: [footsteps approaching]

### Caption Quality
- Synchronised with speech (within 1 second)
- Minimum 1 second display time, maximum 2 lines
- No more than 32 characters per line for readability
- Proper punctuation and grammar — not auto-generated without review
- Speaker identification when multiple speakers are present

### Auto-Captions Are Not Enough
- Auto-generated captions typically have 80–85% accuracy
- That means 1 in 5 or 6 words is wrong
- Always review and correct auto-captions
- Names, technical terms, and accented speech fail most often

## Transcripts

### When to Provide
- Every audio-only file (podcast, voice memo, audio article)
- Every video (as a complement to captions)
- Transcripts serve people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or who
  prefer reading to watching/listening

### What Transcripts Include
- All spoken content with speaker labels
- Descriptions of relevant visual content (for video transcripts)
- Relevant sound effects and music cues
- Timestamps for longer content (helps navigation)

### Transcript Placement
- Link directly below or beside the media player
- Label clearly: "Read the full transcript"
- Don't hide behind multiple clicks
- Make transcripts searchable

## Audio Descriptions

### When to Provide
- When video content conveys important visual information that
  isn't in the dialogue
- Presentations where speakers reference slides or visuals
- Tutorials that demonstrate visual actions

### What to Describe
- On-screen text not read aloud
- Actions and gestures that carry meaning
- Scene changes and visual context
- Charts, graphs, and visual data shown on screen

### How to Describe
- Fit descriptions into natural pauses in dialogue
- Be concise — describe what matters, not everything visible
- For dense visual content: provide an extended audio description
  version where the video pauses for description

## Media Player Requirements

- Keyboard-accessible play, pause, stop, volume, and seek controls
- Visible captions toggle
- Speed controls (0.5x to 2x) — essential for cognitive accessibility
- Volume control independent of system volume
- No autoplay — let the user choose when to start
- Visible progress bar with time display

## Assessment Questions

1. Does every video have accurate, synchronised captions?
2. Does every audio file have a transcript?
3. Are auto-captions reviewed and corrected?
4. Is important visual information audio-described?
5. Is the media player fully keyboard accessible?
6. Is autoplay disabled?