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Breaking Down Barriers: The Importance of Subtitles in Media Accessibility
An overview of why subtitles and captions matter for access to video and audio, who relies on them, and which barriers they help remove.
Access and Needs
Accessibility Basics
Why subtitles matter for access, fairness and rules.
Accessibility Statements and Subtitle Information
How organizations can explain which access features they offer, including subtitles and captions, in a clear accessibility statement that viewers can trust.
Audio Description and How It Relates to Captions
What audio description adds for blind and low-vision viewers, how it differs from captions, and how the two features work together in accessible media.
Captions, Subtitles and Transcripts Compared
A plain comparison of captions, subtitles and transcripts: what each contains, who each is for, and when it makes sense to use one, two or all three.
From Closed Captions to Open Captions: The Rise of Subtitle Options
The difference between closed captions viewers can switch on and open captions burned into the picture, with the trade-offs of each approach explained.
Making Media Accessible: The Impact of Subtitles on Social Justice
Why subtitles are often treated as a matter of fairness and inclusion: who is left out of media without them, and why access is widely seen as a right.
Making Your Own Videos Accessible From the Start
How to plan text, audio and visuals early so your videos are easier to caption, describe and understand, instead of fixing access problems after filming.
Sound Effects and Music Cues in Captions
How captions describe sounds that are not speech, including sound effects and music cues, and how to decide which ones are worth writing down.
The Accessibility Act: How Subtitles Can Comply with New Regulations
A general, non-legal explanation of how accessibility rules tend to treat captions and subtitles, and why requirements vary by place and need professional advice.
The Accessibility of Subtitles in Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality
The special problems of placing text in 3D and head-tracked environments, including position, depth, comfort and readability for subtitles in VR and AR.
The Business Case for Subtitles: Why Accessibility Matters
The practical reasons organizations invest in subtitles and accessibility, such as wider reach and reduced risk, without promising revenue or any guaranteed return.
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