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Technique F74:Failure of Success Criterion 1.2.2 and 1.2.8 due to not labeling a synchronized media alternative to text as an alternative

About this Technique

This technique relates to:

This failure applies to pages that provide synchronized media alternatives to text.

Failure techniques show examples of how content can fail particular WCAG success criteria. However, content may still satisfy those criteria if it includes equivalent/alternative content or functionality that does meet the normative requirements. See About WCAG Techniques.

Description

The objective of this failure is to avoid situations in which synchronized media alternatives are not labeled with the text for which they are alternatives. Synchronized media alternatives provide enhanced access to users for whom synchronized media is a more effective format than text. Since they are alternatives to text, they do not need themselves to have redundant text alternatives. However, they need to be clearly labeled so that they reference the part of the text that they substitute. If such a label is missing, users cannot easily find the corresponding text when they need a text alternative to synchronized media.

Examples

Example 1: Synchronized media alternatives provided elsewhere on page

A page with a set of text instructions for using a service has one part that describes the registration process, going through the form fields to complete, data to provide, etc. Additionally, a video provided as a synchronized media alternative shows a person completing the registration process and explains its steps in the synchronized audio. Although both text instruction and video are provided on the same page, the synchronized media version is provided after the entire set of text instructions and is not clearly labeled with the part of the text instruction for which it is a substitute (e.g. "Video explainer of the registration process"). This makes it difficult for users encountering the video to locate the text instruction to which it is an alternative.

Tests

Procedure

  1. Check pages that provide synchronized media alternatives to text.
  2. Check that synchronized media in its default state has an adjacent text label that clearly indicates the part of the text for which it is an alternative.

Expected Results

  • If check #2 is false, then this failure condition applies and the content fails these Success Criteria.
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