Follow these tips for practical ways to make your videos easier to understand and usable for everyone—regardless of ability. By following these tips, you’ll help ensure your content is inclusive, clear, and effective for all learners.

Provide Accurate Captions

Include closed captions for all spoken dialogue and important sounds (e.g., “keyboard typing,” “applause”).

Ensure captions are:

• Synchronized with audio
• Correctly punctuated and edited (avoid auto-caption errors)
• Use captions even if your audience is not hearing-impaired (helps in noisy environments or for non-native speakers).

Describe Visual Content (Audio Description)

In the video, verbally explain important visual information.

• Describe visual elements like charts, diagrams, on-screen actions, etc.
• Speak out text that appears on screen.
  • Example: Instead of just showing a graph, say "The chart shows a steady increase from January to March."

Providing audio descriptions naturally within your script ensures all viewers can follow along without needing a separate audio description track.

Use Readable On-Screen Text

Ensure all viewers can easily read and understand the information without strain.

• Make sure text is large enough (at least 24–32 px for video)
• Use high contrast colors (e.g., dark text on light background)
• Avoid overly decorative fonts
• Limit the amount of text displayed at once.

Use Color Carefully

Don’t rely on color alone to convey meaning (e.g., red = error, green = success). Choose color combinations that meet contrast accessibility standards.

Combine with:

• Labels
• Icons
• Patterns

Speak Clearly and at a Moderate Pace

To help people easily understand your message:

• Use plain language (avoid jargon where possible)
• Speak at a natural pace (not too fast)
• Pause between sections for clarity.

Avoid Background Noise & Music Interference

Keep background audio minimal so speech is clear. If music is used, ensure it doesn’t overpower the narration.

Use an Accessible Video Player

Ensure that the video player you are displaying your video on is accessible. 

• Ensure all player controls (play, pause, volume, captions) are keyboard accessible
• Support screen readers with properly labeled buttons and controls
• Include an easy way to turn captions on/off
• Offer playback speed controls for flexible viewing
• Use clear, visible icons and labels for all functions
• Avoid auto-play unless it can be easily paused or disabled
• Ensure strong color contrast for controls and progress bars