W3 Accessibility Guidelines Core

Audio-only and Video-only Time Based Media

For prerecorded audio-only and prerecorded video-only media, the following are true, except when the audio or video is a media alternative for text and is clearly labeled

The intent of this Success Criterion is to make information conveyed by prerecorded audio-only and prerecorded video-only content available to all users. Alternatives for time-based media that are text based make information accessible because text can be rendered through any sensory modality (for example, visual, auditory or tactile) to match the needs of the user. In the future, text could also be translated into symbols, sign language or simpler forms of the language (future). An example of pre-recorded video with no audio information or user interaction is a silent movie. The purpose of the transcript is to provide an equivalent to what is presented visually. For prerecorded video content, authors have the option to provide an audio track. The purpose of the audio alternative is to be an equivalent to the video. This makes it possible for users with and without vision impairment to review content simultaneously. The approach can also make it easier for those with cognitive, language and learning disabilities to understand the content because it would provide parallel presentation.

W3 Accessibility Guidelines Silverlight

The objective of this technique is to replace a Silverlight MediaElement with static alternative non-media content that is not time-based. The static alternative content replaces the media in the same or a nearby user interface region of the Silverlight application.

If the media being played is audio-only, and the alternative content is a text equivalent such as a transcript, this technique addresses Success Criterion 1.2.1 (Audio-only and Video-only, Prerecorded).
If the media includes content that cannot be adequately described by either alternative audio track or additional text captions, and the best alternative is to provide a full description in text such as a screenplay of the content, this technique addresses Success Criterion 1.2.3 (Audio Description or Full Text Alternative) and is similar to G69: Providing an alternative for time based media.

A Silverlight application user interface can be adjusted at run time by removing elements from the visual tree, and adding new elements to the visual tree. In this case, the user interface is designed to provide a control that the user activates to display the static alternative content, which is often a control that displays text, or a text element.

Example 1: MediaElement playing audio, replace with transcript

This example has a UI definition in XAML and interaction logic in C#. In this case the MediaElement has no visual representation itself and is 0x0 size because it plays audio only. As a simple placeholder, this example displays the text "Library of Congress Audio" to represent the media element as something visible in the UI. In addition to Play/Stop controls, this interface includes a Display Transcript button. Activating the button displays static text that represents the transcript of the audio. The following is the basic UI in XAML.

<UserControl x:Class="ReplaceAudioWithTranscriptText.MainPage"
   xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
   xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
   xmlns:sys="clr-namespace:System;assembly=mscorlib">
   <UserControl.Resources>
       <sys:String x:Key="transSpeakerName">Matt Raymond: </sys:String>
       <sys:String x:Key="transText">This is Matt Raymond at the Library of Congress.
Each year thousands of book lovers of all ages visit the nation's capital to celebrate the joys
of reading and lifelong literacy, at the Library of Congress National Book Festival.
For the first time in the festival's nine year history, President Barack Obama and
First Lady Michelle Obama will serve as honorary chairs of this free event. </sys:String>
   </UserControl.Resources>
   <StackPanel x:Name="LayoutRoot" Background="White" >
       <TextBlock FontSize="30" Foreground="Blue">Library of Congress Audio</TextBlock>
       <MediaElement Source="/locintro.wma" AutoPlay="False" Name="player" Height="0" />
       <StackPanel Orientation="Horizontal" Name="ControlBar">
           <Button Name="Play" Click="Play_Click">Play</Button>
           <Button Name="Stop" Click="Stop_Click">Stop</Button>
           <Button Name="TextAlt" Click="TextAlt_Click">Display Transcript</Button>
       </StackPanel>
   </StackPanel>
</UserControl>