Accessibility adaptations can include websites being compatible with screen readers that read the content to the visually impaired, or video on the site having screen text to help a deaf person understand what is being said. The same texting requirements that apply to video also apply to audio, such as podcasts. Video and audio are together termed time-dependent media. This guide gives an overview of what applies to time-dependent media published by the University of Borås.

Tip! Are you planning to post a video in the learning platform, and have not been able to make subtitles to the video? You can always attach a PowerPoint or a written script to the video so the content is available to everyone.

The EU Web Accessibility Directive applies to time-dependent media published publicly. Publicly means that it is possible for a web user to view the material without there being any requirement of authentication via any type of log-in.

It also counts as public if it is only accessible by entering a specific link in the browser (without the link being published on a website), and if the material is behind a log-in that can easily be accessed (via an expression of interest to the page administrator and the like). The EU Web Accessibility Directive states that time-dependent media should have text in order to be comprehensible to non-hearing persons.

Requirements for text for video and audio recordings

Video captions can either be open, that is, burned into the video, or closed (captions can be turn on and off in the video player). Ideally, captions should be closed. By reading the text, the user should be able to understand what the audio information in the film conveys. There is no requirement for the text to be verbatim dialogue, but the text must describe sounds that are important. The user should be informed that the text is available, either in an image or in a descriptive text about the medium.

Text in another language

A video or audio recording meets the EU Web Accessibility Directive if the material has text in the original language. However, for other reasons it may also be necessary to translate the text into Swedish before publication.

Live broadcasts

Live broadcasting is the exception to the EU Web Accessibility Directive. (Law 2018:1937, Section 9). However, there are requirements for screen text and audio description if the material is unpublished and then republished. There are also requirements for screen text and audio interpretation if the live broadcast remains public after 14 days.

Screen text

A tool has been purchased for manual and automatic screen text in HB Play. As soon as a support team is ready at the university, the tool will be made available.

A procurement via SUNET is ongoing, more information about this will come. 

If you have any questions, please contact kommunikation@hb.se

During the summer, Studio, a tool for video and screen texts in Canvas, will be tested. 

If you have any questions, please contact canvas@hb.se