PLAIN: Proposed rewording for Checkpoint 1.2 with success criteria, benefits, and examples

Plain language version of Guideline 1.2 plus success criteria, benefits,
and examples

 

This message contains a series of proposals for a "plain language_
rewording of WCAG 2.0 Checkpoint 1.2 with Success Criteria, Examples,
and Benefits

 

This is submitted in partial fulfillment of an action item taken by John
Slatin, Katie Haritos-Shay, and Doyle Burnett during a call in late
September or early October, to generate a plain-language version of WCAG
2.  

 

This message is partial in two ways: (1) It addresses only Guideline
(now Principle) 1, Checkpoint (now Guideline) 1.2, and the relevant
success criteria, examples, and benefits.  Other guidelines, etc., will
follow.  (2) It is not really "plain language," in the sense that this
text has not yet been compared to the 1500-word "special lexicon" used
by Voice of America (or other similar lexicons).  Thus it's actually
best understood as an attempt to simplify and clarify.  We're still
working on the formal plain language issues, but wanted to put this out
to start generating discussion.

 

Items labeled "Current wording" are taken from the September document
Reorg 4, available at http://www.w3.org/WAI/GL/2003/09/reorg4.html
<http://www.w3.org/WAI/GL/2003/09/reorg4.html> .  This document was
current at the time Katie and Doyle and I took on the action item to
attempt a plain language version.  Of course the proposed rewordings
will need to be correlated with later updates.

 

 


Current wording for Checkpoint 1.2


1.2 [CORE] Synchronized media equivalents are provided for
time-dependent presentations.

 

Editorial Note (10 June 2003): There is discussion about moving some of
the current success criteria from Required to Best Practice or to an
Extended checkpoint.

The issue stems from trying to apply the success criteria to every Web
cam, newscast, and home broadcast. Another approach is to allow a
conformance claim

to state, for example, "All pages and applications on this site meet the
Core checkpoints of WCAG 2.0 except the Web cam at
http://example.org/webcam/."

 


Proposed wording for Guideline 1.2


1.2 [CORE] Provide synchronized media equivalents for time-dependent
presentations.


Current wording for Checkpoint 1.2, SC 1


1. anaudio description is provided.


Proposed wording for Guideline 1.2, SC 1


1. an audio description is provided for on-screen events that are not
identified in the soundtrack and are important to understanding the
presentation.

 


Current wording for Checkpoint 1.2, SC 2


2. all significant dialogue and sounds are captioned

Exception:

 

If the Web content is real-time and audio-only and not time-sensitive
and not interactive a transcript or other non-audio equivalent is
sufficient.

 

Editorial Note: This exception also applies to item 3.

 


Proposed wording for Guideline 1.2, SC 2


2. Captions are provided for all significant dialogue and sounds.

 

Exception:

 

A text transcript or other non-audio equivalent that is not synchronized
with the multimedia presentation satisfies this success criterion if all
four of the following statements about the content are true:

(a) The content is real-time and 

(b) the content is audio-only and 

(c) the content is not time-sensitive and 

(d) the content is not interactive.

 


Current wording for Checkpoint 1.2, SC 3


3. descriptions and captions are synchronized with the events they
represent.

 

Exception:

 

A text transcript or other non-audio equivalent that is not synchronized
with the multimedia presentation satisfies this success criterion if all
four of the following statements about the content are true:

(a) The content is real-time and 

(b) the content is audio-only and 

(c) the content is not time-sensitive and 

(d) the content is not interactive.

 


Proposed wording for Guideline 1.2, SC 3


3. descriptions and captions are synchronized with the events they
represent.

Exception:

 

A text transcript or other non-audio equivalent that is not synchronized
with the multimedia presentation satisfies this success criterion if all
four of the following statements about the content are true:

(a) The content is real-time and 

(b) the content is audio-only and 

(c) the content is not time-sensitive and 

(d) the content is not interactive.

 


Current wording for Checkpoint 1.2, SC 4


4. if the Web content is real-time video with audio, real-time captions
are provided unless the content:

* is a music program that is primarily non-vocal

 

 


Proposed wording for Guideline 1.2, SC 4


4. if the Web content is real-time video with audio, then real-time
captions are provided. 

 

Exception:

If the content is a music program that is primarily non-vocal, then
captions are not required.

 


Current wording for Checkpoint 1.2, SC 5


5. if the Web content is real-time non-interactive video (e.g., a Webcam
of ambient conditions), either provide an equivalent that conforms to
checkpoint 1.1 (e.g., an ongoing update of weather conditions) or link
to an equivalent that conforms to checkpoint 1.1 (e.g., a link to a
weather Web site).


Proposed wording for Guideline 1.2, SC 5


5. if the Web content is real-time, non-interactive video (for example,
a Webcam view of weather), then one of the following is provided:

*        an equivalent that conforms to Guideline 1.1 (for example, an
ongoing text report of weather conditions);

*        a link to an equivalent that conforms to Guideline 1.1 (for
example, a link to a weather Web site that conforms to Guideline 1.1).

 


Current wording for Checkpoint 1.2, SC 6


6. if a pure audio or pure video presentation requires a user to respond
interactively at specific times in the presentation, then a
time-synchronized equivalent

(audio, visual or text) presentation is provided.

 

 

Exception:

 

if content is rebroadcast from another medium or resource that complies
to broadcast requirements for accessibility (independent of these
guidelines), the

rebroadcast satisfies the checkpoint if it complies with the other
guidelines.

 


Proposed wording for Guideline 1.2, SC 6


6. if a presentation that contains only audio or only video requires
users to respond interactively at specific times during the
presentation, then a synchronized equivalent presentation (audio, visual
or text) is provided. 

 

[js note, 24 October: Is the word "presentation" necessary in
"time-synchronized equivalent presentation"? To me it seems to imply a
different presentation rather than a synchronized equivalent.]

 

Exception:

 

if content that is rebroadcast from another medium or resource meets
accessibility requirements for that medium, then the rebroadcast
satisfies this guideline if it complies with other applicable sections
of WCAG 2.0.

 


Current wording for Best Practice Measures for Checkpoint 1.2


1. Editorial Note: This whole Checkpoint (1.2) needs reworking. Perhaps
move some down from above, or limit the items above to just certain
classes of content

- and then put the rest of the coverage (for other types of content)
here.

2. captions and audio descriptions are provided for all live broadcasts.

3. the presentation does not require the user to read captions and the
visual presentation simultaneously in order to understand the content.

 


Proposed wording for Best Practice Measures for Guideline 1.2


1. Editorial Note: This whole Checkpoint (1.2) needs reworking. Perhaps
move some down from above, or limit the items above to just certain
classes of content

- and then put the rest of the coverage (for other types of content)
here.

2. Synchronized captions and audio descriptions are provided for live
broadcasts.

3. the presentation does not require the user to read captions and
follow the visual presentation simultaneously 

 


Current wording of Benefits for Checkpoint 1.2


* People who are deaf or have a hearing loss can access the auditory
information through the captions.

* People who are blind or have low vision as well as those with
cognitive disabilities who have difficulty interpreting visually what is
happening benefit

from the audio descriptions of the visual information.

People without disabilities also benefit from the

media equivalents.

* People in noisy environments or with muted sound often use captions.

* Captions are used by many to develop language and reading skills.

* Audio descriptions also provide visual information for people who are
temporarily looking away from the video presentation such as when
following an instructional

video and looking at their hands.

* Captions and text descriptions can also be used to index and search
media files.

 


Proposed wording for Who Benefits from Guideline 1.2


* People who are deaf or have a hearing loss can access the auditory
information through the captions.

* People who are blind or have low vision as well as those with
cognitive disabilities who have difficulty interpreting visually what is
happening benefit from the audio descriptions of visual information.

 

People without disabilities also benefit from  media equivalents:

* People in noisy environments or environments with muted sound often
rely on captions.

* Captions help many people to develop language and reading skills.

* Audio descriptions provide visual information for people who are
temporarily looking away from the video presentation, for example, when
following an instructional video and looking at their hands.

* Captions and text descriptions make it possible to index and search
media files.

 

Note:

 

Time-dependent presentations that require people to use a single sense
to follow two or more things at the same time may present significant
barriers to some users. Depending on the nature of the presentation, it
may be possible to avoid scenarios where, for example, a deaf user would
be required to watch an action on the screen and read the captions at
the same time. However, this may not be available for live broadcasts
(e.g. a football game). Where possible (especially for education and
training materials), content that it does not require tracking multiple
simultaneous events with the same sense, or, give the user the ability
to freeze the video so that captions can be read without missing the
video.

 


Current wording for Examples of Checkpoint 1.2


* Example 1: a movie clip with audio description and captions.

 

A clip from a movie is published on a Web site. In the clip, a child is
trying to lure a puppy to the child's bedroom by laying a trail of
crumbs. The child

mumbles inaudibly to himself as he lays the trail. When not watching the
video, it is not obvious that he is laying a trail of crumbs since all
you hear

is the mumbling. The audio description that is interspersed with the
child's mumbling says "Charlie lays a crumb on each stair leading to his
room." The

caption that appears as he mumbles is, "[inaudible mumbling]."

* Example 2: a video clip of a news story.

 

A video clip accompanies a news story about the recent flooding in a
major city. The reporter describes what is seen, for everyone. No audio
description

is necessary. The captions display what the reporter is saying.

* Example 3: a silent animation.

 

An animation shows a pantomime climbing a ladder. There is no audio
track for this animation. No captions or audio description are required.
Instead, a

text equivalent is provided as described in

checkpoint 1.1.

 


Proposed wording for Examples of Guideline 1.2


* Example 1: a movie clip with audio description and captions.

 

A clip from a movie is published on a Web site. In the clip, a child is
trying to attract a puppy to the child's bedroom by laying a trail of
crumbs. The child mumbles inaudibly to himself as he places the crumbs
on the stairs.

 

To someone who cannot see the video, it is not obvious that the child is
laying a trail of crumbs since the soundtrack includes only the child's
mumbling. The audio description that is heard when the child is silent
with the child's mumbling says "Charlie puts a crumb on each stair
leading to his room." The caption that appears as he mumbles reads, ,
"[inaudible mumbling]."

 

* Example 2: a video clip of a news story.

 

A video clip accompanies a news story about flooding in a major city.
The reporter gives a verbal description of the scene. No audio
description is necessary. The captions display what the reporter is
saying.

 

* Example 3: a silent animation.

 

An animation shows a pantomime with a white face and black costume
climbing an invisible ladder. There is no audio track for this
animation. No captions or audio description are required. Instead, a
text label and description are provided, as required by Guideline 1.1.

 

 


"Good design is accessible design." 
Please note our new name and URL!
John Slatin, Ph.D.
Director, Accessibility Institute
University of Texas at Austin
FAC 248C
1 University Station G9600
Austin, TX 78712
ph 512-495-4288, f 512-495-4524
email jslatin@mail.utexas.edu
web http://www.utexas.edu/research/accessibility/
<http://www.utexas.edu/research/accessibility/>