Creating Accessible Video Resources

Laura Squires

​​Creating the Disability Tax Credit (DTC) video series was an interesting and adaptive learning process. I spent many hours researching what is the best way to present information to individuals who may have a disability, and the conclusion is that most individuals, with and without disabilities, perceive information in different ways. Even though fasdNL is an organization that focuses on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, any individual with a serious or prolonged disability can apply for the DTC, making the videos potentially beneficial to a larger audience. When planning, I wanted to make the videos accessible to as many people as possible, while focusing examples on individuals with FASD and their parents/caregivers. 
 

The University of Washington has done some great research around creating accessible video resources. Subtitles or captions, video descriptions and scripts are all recommended as ways to improve accessibility1. So, in trying to make the videos accessible to as many people as possible, I incorporated all of these techniques, in a what I call a minimal, maximal approach-using as much as necessary, without using too much. The different additions were designed to reach individuals of all abilities. Audio descriptions of visuals are often recommended123, so this was taken in to consideration when developing the videos and the scripts. All visuals and graphics used in the videos are represented and explained directly in the script and voiceover. 
 
Using colours with intention and making use of contrast is a theme throughout the videos. I read lots of interesting articles about how high colour contrast specifically, is important when creating accessible video content234. I chose a black background with white text, because the contrast is easier to see for individuals who have low vision or are colour blind. Using a coloured background or text can lessen contrast and visibility, making it more difficult to see. Anytime I used coloured text, white text always preceded the colour change, and the change was done to direct attention to certain text as it was being narrated by the voiceover. Speaking of the text, all text used was clear, bold and easy to read. Fancy and fun fonts can be harder to read, so even though it was tempting to include them visually, I refrained from doing so. 
 
I wanted to showcase representation and diversity throughout the video series and limit stereotypical representations. There are a variety of different disabilities showcased, both visible and invisible, races/ethnicities, genders, religious backgrounds, etc. One specific example is that I changed up the parent figure throughout the series. Mothers, fathers, non-binary parents, adoptive parents, single parents, married parents, caregivers, etc., are all included in some way. 
 
The videos will be disseminated on different platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and our website, so they can be found by a variety of audiences and are offered in many different media accessible formats. We are also planning on sharing these videos with other community organizations that serve individuals with disabilities, as our audience is often parents/caregivers of, and individuals with FASD. 
 
If you would like to see the videos, you can check them out at www.fasdnl.ca/DTC. This was an invaluable learning experience and something that I will utilize in any of my future video production work. If you would like to share the videos, please credit fasdNL when sharing!
 
Thanks for reading J
Laura Squires
 
References
 
1- University of Washington (n.d.). Creating accessible videos. Accessible Technology.https://www.washington.edu/accessibility/videos/
 
2- University of Colorado Boulder (n.d.). Creating accessible videos. Accessible Technology. https://www.colorado.edu/accessible-technology/resources/creating-accessible-videos

3- Garcia-Cabot, A., Garcia-Lopez, E., & Karhu, M. (2014). Creating accessible digital educational content [Workshop]. V Congreso Internacional sobre Calidad y Accesibilidad de la Formación Virtual. http://www.esvial.org/wp-content/files/CAFVIR2014pp60-66.pdf
 
4- Thurber, A., & Bandy, J. (2018). Creating accessible learning environments. Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching. http://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/creating-accessible-learning-environments/.