Making Your Non-Profit Videos Accessible to Everyone: A Guide to Inclusive Content
In today’s digital age, video content has become one of the most powerful tools for non-profits and NGOs to tell their stories, raise awareness, and engage with donors. However, as you create impactful videos, it’s crucial to ensure that your content is accessible to everyone, including individuals with disabilities. Accessibility in video content isn’t just about compliance; it’s about making sure your message reaches the widest possible audience and reflects your organization’s commitment to inclusivity.
This guide will help you understand the importance of accessibility in video content and provide practical tips on how to make your videos more inclusive.
Why Accessibility Matters in Video Content
Accessibility in video content ensures that people with disabilities can fully engage with your message. According to the World Health Organization, over 1 billion people globally experience some form of disability. By making your videos accessible, you not only comply with legal standards but also demonstrate your commitment to equity and inclusivity.
Accessible videos:
Reach a wider audience: By ensuring your content is accessible to all, you open the door to a larger audience, including those who may have been excluded due to barriers like hearing or vision impairments.
Enhance user experience: Accessible videos improve the viewing experience for everyone, not just those with disabilities. For instance, captions are helpful for people watching in noisy environments or non-native speakers.
Reflect your organization’s values: Prioritizing accessibility shows that your organization values inclusivity and cares about engaging all members of the community.
Key Elements of Accessible Video Content
To make your video content more accessible, focus on the following key elements:
Closed Captions
What They Are: Closed captions are text overlays that provide a word-for-word transcription of the spoken content in your video, including important sound effects or music cues.
Why They Matter: Captions are essential for viewers who are deaf or hard of hearing, but they also benefit those who are watching in a noisy environment, are non-native speakers, or prefer reading along with the video.
Best Practices: Ensure that captions are accurate, synchronized with the audio, and easy to read. Use a large, clear font and place captions in a location that doesn’t obscure important visuals.
Audio Descriptions
What They Are: Audio descriptions provide a spoken narration of key visual elements in your video for viewers who are blind or have low vision.
Why They Matter: Many videos rely on visual cues to convey information, which can be inaccessible to viewers who can’t see. Audio descriptions ensure that these viewers still receive all the important information.
Best Practices: When creating audio descriptions, focus on describing essential visual content, such as actions, scene changes, or important text on screen, in a way that complements the original audio.
Accessible Player
What It Is: An accessible video player is one that allows for easy navigation and use by individuals with disabilities, including those who rely on screen readers or keyboard navigation.
Why It Matters: A video player that isn’t accessible can create barriers for users who rely on assistive technologies, preventing them from engaging with your content.
Best Practices: Use a video player that supports keyboard navigation, screen reader compatibility, and the ability to turn on/off captions and audio descriptions easily.
Transcript
What It Is: A transcript is a text document that contains all the spoken content in the video, as well as descriptions of any important sounds or visual elements.
Why It Matters: Transcripts are useful for individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or prefer reading over watching videos. They also improve search engine optimization (SEO) by making your content more discoverable.
Best Practices: Provide a downloadable transcript on the same page as the video, and ensure it is accurate and easy to follow.
Clear and Simple Language
What It Is: Using clear, concise, and simple language in your videos ensures that your content is understandable by a wide audience, including individuals with cognitive disabilities or those who speak English as a second language.
Why It Matters: Complex language can be a barrier to understanding for many viewers. By simplifying your language, you make your content more inclusive.
Best Practices: Avoid jargon, use short sentences, and explain any technical terms. When necessary, provide visual aids or additional explanations to clarify complex concepts.
Visual Contrast and Font Size
What It Is: Ensuring that text and important visual elements in your video have sufficient contrast against their background and are large enough to be easily read.
Why It Matters: Low contrast and small fonts can make content difficult to see for viewers with vision impairments.
Best Practices: Use high-contrast colors for text and background (e.g., black text on a white background) and avoid small or overly decorative fonts. Make sure that all text is legible even on small screens.
Practical Steps to Implement Accessibility
Plan for Accessibility from the Start
When planning your video content, consider accessibility from the beginning. This will help you incorporate the necessary elements without having to make significant changes later on.
Use Tools and Services
There are many tools and services available that can help you create accessible content. For example, use automatic captioning tools like those offered by YouTube, but be sure to review and correct any errors. For audio descriptions, consider hiring a professional service to ensure quality.
Test Your Content
Before publishing, test your video content with individuals who have disabilities to ensure that it is truly accessible. This can provide valuable feedback and highlight areas that may need improvement.
Educate Your Team
Ensure that everyone involved in your video production process is aware of the importance of accessibility and knows how to implement best practices.
Stay Updated
Accessibility standards and best practices are constantly evolving. Stay informed about the latest developments to ensure your content remains accessible to all viewers.
Final Thoughts
Creating accessible video content is not just about reaching compliance; it’s about demonstrating your commitment to inclusivity and making sure your message is heard by everyone. By taking these steps, your non-profit can create videos that are not only powerful and engaging but also accessible to all members of your community.