SC	Level	Requirement	Test
1.2.1	A	Audio-only/video-only: provide text transcript or audio track	Transcript exists alongside media
1.2.2	A	Captions for prerecorded audio in video	Synchronized captions present
1.2.3	A	Audio description OR text alternative for prerecorded video	Description track or full transcript
1.2.4	AA	Captions for live audio in video	Real-time captioning active
1.2.5	AA	Audio description for prerecorded video	Description track present
1.2.6	AAA	Sign language for prerecorded audio	Sign language interpretation video
1.2.7	AAA	Extended audio description	Paused video for long descriptions
1.2.8	AAA	Media alternative for prerecorded video	Full text alternative document
1.2.9	AAA	Audio-only (live): text alternative	Real-time text transcript

Caption File Formats

WebVTT (Web Video Text Tracks)

WEBVTT

00:00:01.000 --> 00:00:04.000
Welcome to the accessibility course.

00:00:04.500 --> 00:00:08.000
Today we'll cover caption best practices.

00:00:08.500 --> 00:00:12.000
<v Speaker 2>Let's start with file formats.

Key rules:

File must start with WEBVTT header
Timestamps: HH:MM:SS.mmm --> HH:MM:SS.mmm
Speaker identification: <v Speaker Name>Text
Maximum 2 lines per caption, 32 characters per line
Minimum display time: 1 second
Maximum display time: 7 seconds

SRT (SubRip Text)

1
00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:04,000
Welcome to the accessibility course.

2
00:00:04,500 --> 00:00:08,000
Today we'll cover caption best practices.

Key rules:

Sequential numbering starting at 1
Timestamps use comma for milliseconds (not period)
Blank line between entries
No styling support (unlike WebVTT)

TTML (Timed Text Markup Language)

XML-based, used in broadcast and streaming
Supports styling, positioning, and region layout
IMSC (Internet Media Subtitles and Captions) is the web profile

Caption Quality Guidelines

Each metric, with its requirement.

Metric	Requirement
Accuracy	99%+ word accuracy
Synchronization	Within 1 second of audio
Speaker identification	Required when 2+ speakers
Sound effects	Describe in brackets: `[applause]`, `[phone rings]`
Music	Describe: `[upbeat music]`, `[dramatic orchestral score]`
Caption rate	Maximum 200 words per minute (3 words/second)
Line length	Maximum 32 characters per line
Lines per caption	Maximum 2 lines
Placement	Bottom center default; move for on-screen text

Audio Description

Audio description narrates visual information during pauses in dialogue.

Requirements:

Describe: actions, scene changes, on-screen text, facial expressions relevant to plot
Don't describe: obvious audio cues, subjective interpretations
Timing: fit into natural pauses; for extended descriptions (1.2.7), video pauses automatically
Voice: distinct from program audio, clear and neutral

HTML implementation:

<video controls>
  <source src="video.mp4" type="video/mp4">
  <track kind="captions" src="captions-en.vtt" srclang="en" label="English" default>
  <track kind="descriptions" src="descriptions-en.vtt" srclang="en" label="English Audio Descriptions">
</video>

Accessible Media Player ARIA Patterns

Minimum Controls

Every media player must have keyboard-accessible controls for:

Play/Pause (role="button", aria-label="Play" / aria-label="Pause")
Volume (role="slider", aria-label="Volume", aria-valuemin, aria-valuemax, aria-valuenow)
Seek/Progress (role="slider", aria-label="Seek", aria-valuetext="2 minutes 30 seconds")
Captions toggle (role="button", aria-pressed, aria-label="Toggle captions")
Fullscreen (role="button", aria-label="Enter fullscreen" / aria-label="Exit fullscreen")

Live Region Announcements

<div aria-live="polite" class="sr-only" id="player-status">
  <!-- Announce: "Playing", "Paused", "Video ended", "Captions on", "Captions off" -->
</div>

Keyboard Shortcuts (Media Player Convention)

Each key, with its action.

Key	Action
Space / Enter	Play/Pause
Left Arrow	Rewind 5 seconds
Right Arrow	Forward 5 seconds
Up Arrow	Volume up
Down Arrow	Volume down
M	Mute/Unmute
C	Toggle captions
F	Toggle fullscreen

Transcript Best Practices

Provide a full-text transcript adjacent to or linked from the media
Include speaker identification, timestamps (optional but helpful), and non-speech audio
Transcripts benefit deaf users, search engines, and users who prefer reading
Interactive transcripts (click a line to jump to that point) are excellent UX

Live Captioning

WCAG 1.2.4 (AA) requires captions for live audio in synchronized media
Options: human captioner (CART), AI-powered auto-captioning, hybrid
AI auto-captions alone rarely meet the 99% accuracy requirement — human review or correction is recommended
WebSocket-based caption delivery for web: push text to a <div aria-live="polite"> container

Common Violations

Each issue, with its WCAG SC and severity.

Issue	WCAG SC	Severity
No captions on prerecorded video	1.2.2	Critical
Auto-generated captions without review	1.2.2	Serious
No audio description for visual-only content	1.2.5	Serious
Inaccessible media player controls	2.1.1, 4.1.2	Critical
No keyboard access to play/pause	2.1.1	Critical
Autoplay without user control	1.4.2	Serious
Volume slider not keyboard-operable	2.1.1	Serious
No transcript for audio-only content	1.2.1	Critical
Captions poorly synchronized (>2s drift)	1.2.2	Moderate
Missing speaker identification in captions	1.2.2	Moderate

kb-media-accessibility

Media Accessibility Skill

WCAG 1.2 Time-Based Media Criteria