Effective video accessibility design is essential for creating inclusive video players that work for everyone, including those with disabilities. Designers have the power to transform video player experiences by going beyond basic functionality, ensuring that all users can access and enjoy content seamlessly. Below, we explore the key design considerations that can help designers create video players that meet diverse accessibility needs, from motor impairments to sensory disabilities.

Accessible Player Controls

When thinking about player controls, designers must consider different user needs and the variety of devices they use:

  • Remote Buttons and D-pad Navigation: On platforms with remotes that have dedicated buttons, controls like Fast Forward (FF), Rewind (RW), and Play/Pause should be prioritized for easy navigation. However, on platforms with simpler remotes, designers should rely on the d-pad for content navigation and interaction with playback features.
  • Alternatives to Press-and-Hold: Many users with motor disabilities find “press-and-hold” interactions difficult. Offering alternatives like single-tap or d-pad controls provides a more inclusive experience.
  • Timeline Navigation with TTS: Rethinking timeline interaction allows Text-to-Speech (TTS) to offer more useful feedback. Designing with TTS in mind lets screen readers give real-time updates about a user’s position within the video.

Closed Captioning (CC) and Customization

Closed captions are critical for users with hearing impairments, and designers should focus on making them easy to customize:

  • Use OS-based Settings: Whenever possible, apps should respect system-level closed caption settings, allowing users to fine-tune caption preferences like color and size. This not only enhances accessibility but also ensures consistency across all apps.
  • Minimize In-app CC Settings: If system-level settings are in place, in-app closed caption settings may be unnecessary. Reducing in-app options helps streamline the user interface, making the player easier to use.

Audio Description (AD) Support

Ensuring that Audio Descriptions (AD) are widely supported across platforms is crucial for blind or low-vision users:

  • Universal AD Support: While many platforms already support AD, designers should strive for universal support across all platforms. Making AD easy to enable and ensuring its availability on all content enhances accessibility for all users.
  • Licensing and Availability: Supporting AD often requires coordination with content providers, as it involves licensing negotiations. Designers should advocate for broader availability of AD tracks to make more content accessible.

Text-to-Speech (TTS) and Screen Reader Support

Designing with TTS and screen reader support ensures that users with visual impairments have a seamless experience:

  • Native, OS-level Synthetic Voices: Ensure that TTS supports native voices and multiple languages. It’s also important to provide controls for adjusting speaking rates and verbosity settings. Platforms like tvOS and Android TV allow users to reduce the amount of information spoken by screen readers, which is particularly helpful for experienced users.
  • Relative Volume: TTS should integrate well with other audio elements, allowing users to control the volume. Features like relative volume, where the playback audio lowers as TTS speaks, should be supported across all platforms to enhance usability.

Additional Language Support

Offering multi-language support ensures a more inclusive video player design:

  • System-level Language Settings: When users change the OS language, all elements of the video player—such as visuals, audio, captions, and TTS—should automatically switch to match the selected language. This creates a cohesive experience.
  • App-level Language Options: In addition to system-level settings, apps should provide language options to switch captions, audio, and TTS within the app itself. This allows users more flexibility without needing to adjust their entire system language.

Audio Adjustments for Accessibility

Designers can enhance the audio experience for users with hearing impairments or sensory sensitivities by providing flexible audio settings:

  • Advanced Audio Processing: While many platforms offer basic volume leveling or dialogue enhancement, AI-based audio processing could take this further. By enhancing dialogue clarity or reducing loud sounds, designers can create a more comfortable listening experience for all users.
  • Pre-processing Audio Tracks: Pre-processing audio tracks with AI can ensure that dialogue remains clear while minimizing sudden loud noises, especially on platforms that don’t support built-in volume adjustments.

Epilepsy Considerations

For users with photosensitive epilepsy, designers can help prevent seizures by incorporating AI-powered tools:

  • AI-powered Flashing Light Detection: While Apple’s tvOS dims the screen when flashing lights are detected, it has limited effectiveness. Designers can enhance this by using AI to detect flashing lights ahead of time, automatically dimming or blacking out the screen during these scenes. This proactive approach offers better protection for epileptic users.

Conclusion: Video Accessibility Design

Designing for video accessibility requires a deep understanding of user needs and a commitment to inclusion. By focusing on player controls, supporting TTS and AD, and integrating AI-powered features, designers can create video players that truly serve everyone. With thoughtful design, video accessibility can move beyond compliance and deliver a richer, more enjoyable experience for all users.

At VideoA11y, we’re passionate about helping designers create accessible video solutions. Join us in shaping the future of video accessibility design by getting involved with our community and our Video Accessibility Standards.