Multimedia with equivalent audio description  
Section 508 1194.22(b); WAI / WCAG 1.0 checkpoint 1.3
 
 
Issue Description

The page contains elements such as OBJECT or EMBED tags embedding multimedia files or elements referring directly to them (such as A or AREA tags).

Make sure auditory descriptions are provided for every visual track in the multimedia presentation.

 
 
How to check

The page contains elements such as OBJECT or EMBED tags embedding multimedia files or elements referring directly to them (such as A or AREA tags).

Make sure audio descriptions are provided for all important visual information as:

  • Alternative tracks of the multimedia file
  • Links to specific audio files
 
 
Issue Explanation

Generally, multimedia presentations require users to rely on more than one sense, such as combining a reliance on hearing and vision. While these advances make web pages more interesting and "layered" for people without disabilities, those with disabilities face new barriers to understanding a page's content.

To ensure multimedia is accessible to users with visual impairments, you should ensure that audio descriptions of video portions are provided in all cases, except where the video portion of a presentation is unimportant to understanding a presentation.

Auditory descriptions of the visual track provide narration of the key visual elements without interfering with the audio or dialogue of a movie. Key visual elements include actions, settings, body language, graphics, and displayed text.

Until the format you are using supports alternative tracks, you could add a link to an existing audio description file.