Making videos more accessible to the Deaf and the Hard-of-hearing
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Transcript of Making videos more accessible to the Deaf and the Hard-of-hearing
MAKING VIDEOS MORE ACCESSIBLETO THE DEAF AND THE HARD-OF-HEARING
Olivier NOURRY – Qelios.fr
@OlivierNourry
A11YLDN 2012 1
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?
A11YLDN 2012Olivier NOURRY – Qelios.fr@OlivierNourry 2
Things we will discuss here
A11YLDN 2012Olivier NOURRY – Qelios.fr@OlivierNourry 3
As a video maker, how can I make more educatedchoices 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?
A word on creativity
All these tips will somehow limit your creativefreedom.
I admit it.
Now, when you make a video for the Web, are youcreating a message vehicle, or a piece of art?
The answer to that question will determine whetherwhat follows is useful to you, or not.
A11YLDN 2012Olivier NOURRY – Qelios.fr@OlivierNourry 4
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)
A11YLDN 2012Olivier NOURRY – Qelios.fr@OlivierNourry 5
Different situations, different needs
Some people will heavily rely on captions, otherswon’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 willneed a constant volume or pitches
A11YLDN 2012Olivier NOURRY – Qelios.fr@OlivierNourry 6
Captioning and on-screen texts
http://www.flickr.com/photos/58558794@N07/5750588439/
A11YLDN 2012Olivier NOURRY – Qelios.fr@OlivierNourry 7
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.
A11YLDN 2012Olivier NOURRY – Qelios.fr@OlivierNourry 8
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
A11YLDN 2012Olivier NOURRY – Qelios.fr@OlivierNourry 9
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 rolling RESTLESS stone.”William Shakespeare (in Henry V)
Simple rule: be consistent, vary only whennecessary
A11YLDN 2012Olivier NOURRY – Qelios.fr@OlivierNourry 10
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, graphicsymbols (like music notes), etc.
Allows a sufficient density (lines will be short)
Variations like Bold, Italics, Condensed, should be available
A11YLDN 2012Olivier NOURRY – Qelios.fr@OlivierNourry 11
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 sometexts, but not for captions and subtitles
A11YLDN 2012Olivier NOURRY – Qelios.fr@OlivierNourry 12
Font face: Some good choices
– Officina Sans Book
– Officina Sans Medium
– Unit
– Fago
– Taz
A11YLDN 2012Olivier NOURRY – Qelios.fr@OlivierNourry 13
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 lowresolutions, therefore they are appropriate for captions and subtitles:
Rockwell:
Serifa:
Lucida:
A11YLDN 2012Olivier NOURRY – Qelios.fr@OlivierNourry 14
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)
A11YLDN 2012Olivier NOURRY – Qelios.fr@OlivierNourry 15
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.
A11YLDN 2012Olivier NOURRY – Qelios.fr@OlivierNourry 16
Colour combinations
Some colour combinations are more legible thanothers, 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}
A11YLDN 2012Olivier NOURRY – Qelios.fr@OlivierNourry 17
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.
A11YLDN 2012Olivier NOURRY – Qelios.fr@OlivierNourry 18
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 theremight be some tough choices to make in some cases.
A11YLDN 2012Olivier NOURRY – Qelios.fr@OlivierNourry 19
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.
A11YLDN 2012Olivier NOURRY – Qelios.fr@OlivierNourry 20
Sign language
http://www.flickr.com/photos/istolethetv/71915/
A11YLDN 2012Olivier NOURRY – Qelios.fr@OlivierNourry 21
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.
A11YLDN 2012Olivier NOURRY – Qelios.fr@OlivierNourry 22
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
A11YLDN 2012Olivier NOURRY – Qelios.fr@OlivierNourry 23
http://www.lifeprint.com/asl101/pages-signs/c/cat.htm
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.
A11YLDN 2012Olivier NOURRY – Qelios.fr@OlivierNourry 24
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.
A11YLDN 2012Olivier NOURRY – Qelios.fr@OlivierNourry 25
Lip reading
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thebusybrain/2973536916/
A11YLDN 2012Olivier NOURRY – Qelios.fr@OlivierNourry 26
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 distinguishablefrom sight alone.
A11YLDN 2012Olivier NOURRY – Qelios.fr@OlivierNourry 27
Lip reading, a misnomer
It’s not only the mouth, but the whole face that is« read ».
A11YLDN 2012Olivier NOURRY – Qelios.fr@OlivierNourry 28
Not enough OK
http://www.flickr.com/photos/scazon/3617748008/
Filming talking subjects
Face or three-quarter shots.
Find the right distance, the right lighting.
Avoid obstructions (facial hair, veils, masks…).
A11YLDN 2012Olivier NOURRY – Qelios.fr@OlivierNourry 29
Not good Better
Low literacy
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lindaaslund/3231686432/
A11YLDN 2012Olivier NOURRY – Qelios.fr@OlivierNourry 30
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.
A11YLDN 2012Olivier NOURRY – Qelios.fr@OlivierNourry 31
Improved audio comprehension
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lindaaslund/3231686432/
A11YLDN 2012Olivier NOURRY – Qelios.fr@OlivierNourry 32
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 somefrequencies:
They don’t hear them, or not well enough
Or they hear them too well (hyperacousis).
Some people do not recognize or differentiate soundsor voices (auditory agnosia).
A11YLDN 2012Olivier NOURRY – Qelios.fr@OlivierNourry 33
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.
A11YLDN 2012Olivier NOURRY – Qelios.fr@OlivierNourry 34
Avoid overlapping sounds
One voice at a time.
Reduce background noises, music, or dialogues, or anyother interfering sounds.
Bonus: it also improves focus on the main dialogue.
A11YLDN 2012Olivier NOURRY – Qelios.fr@OlivierNourry 35
Choose distinct voices
If there is a narrator, choose a voice very distinct fromthose 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 childrenor youngsters
A11YLDN 2012Olivier NOURRY – Qelios.fr@OlivierNourry 36
Avoid pitch and volume variations
From the beginning of the video, the users should beable to tune their system or hearing aid appropriately.
Important variations will cause pain or discomfort, and will require constant adjusting.
A11YLDN 2012Olivier NOURRY – Qelios.fr@OlivierNourry 37
Thank you!
Olivier NourryBusiness Development Manager at Qelios
@OlivierNourryabout.me/oliviernourry
A11YLDN 2012Olivier NOURRY – Qelios.fr@OlivierNourry 38
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
A11YLDN 2012Olivier NOURRY – Qelios.fr@OlivierNourry 39