Dive into the world of digital accessibility with Leszek Skorczyński, Quickchannel’s Country Manager in Poland. As a certified WCAG expert, Leszek unveils how our video player is designed to ensure inclusivity, meeting WCAG’s A, AA, and most AAA recommendations — right up to sign language overlay features.
What are the key WCAG requirements that apply to video players?
Generally video players must meet all the regular WCAG requirements for contrast, keyboard access, text alternatives and so on, but the special requirements for video is they must support captions and audio description tracks. These are level A requirements elated to captions and audio descriptions.
Can you explain the different levels of WCAG compliance (A, AA, AAA) and which level our video player should aim for?
There are three levels of compliance, level A is the minimum that any webpage should meet to be accessible by some users with disabilities. Level AA covers broader range of disabilities which means more users can access a website and level AAA is the highest compliance level, however not all these requirements are always achievable for all types of content. Level AA is required by European law for web content including video players and it includes live captions requirement.
What features must a video player have to be considered accessible for all users, including those with disabilities?
Player must support displaying captions and additional audio tracks with audio description. It should also be operable using keyboard only and must meet the contrast requirements. Also our player supports most AAA requirements including sign language overlay.
How does our video player address the needs of users with visual, auditory, motor, and cognitive disabilities?
Our video player makes it possible for users with visual disabilities to access the video content by providing alternative audio tracks with audio description. For users with auditory disabilities, we provide captions that could also include non-speech audio information. For users with motor disabilities, we provide keyboard access and for users with cognitive disabilities the player has easy to understand controls and allows for customization of color and text size.
How should captions and subtitles be implemented to meet WCAG standards?
Captions should be so called “closed captions” which means users should be able to turn them on and off. Also, captions convey not only the content of spoken dialogue, but also equivalents for non-dialogue audio information such as sound effects, music, speaker identification and so on.
Are there specific guidelines for the synchronicity, accuracy, and readability of captions?
Yes, the captions must be synchronized with the audio content and accurately convey the spoken dialogue as well as the non-dialogue information. They also must meet the contrast requirements which is a bit more challenging in video since the background can vary from white to black. Our player meets the level AA requirements for captions and also allows users to customize the color and text size of them.
Can you outline the legal implications of not adhering to WCAG standards for a video player?
Organizations within the public sector are subject to lawsuits from individuals or advocacy groups representing people with disabilities if they are not compliant with the European standard for accessible services or European Accessibility Act. Not meeting the regulations might also damage the reputation and be against contractual obligations.
Corporations in the EU will be affected by Accessibility regulations in 2025. Read more here 👇
What you should know about the european accessibility act 2025
What steps have Quickchannel taken to ensure that our video player meets not only WCAG but also other international accessibility standards?
Quickchannel has carefully reviewed the European standard for accessible services and the European Accessibility Act to make sure we provide the highest possible level of compliance for our customers when they embed videos hosted on the Quickchannel platform. Quickchannel has certified employees on web accessibility standards.
Conclusion
Leszek’s insights are a testament to Quickchannel’s commitment to creating a digitally inclusive environment. As we look toward a future where video continues to be a primary communication tool, Quickchannel’s dedication to innovation and legal compliance ensures that all users, regardless of ability, have equal access to video content.
Read more about Quickchannel and video accessibility and WCAG compliance here
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