This document provides information about the related accessibility checks:
Audio-only (Live) has media alternative.
What
Live audio provides an alternative to time-based media.
Note
This applies to broadcast audio formats such as web-based conference transmissions, live-streamed speeches, and live radio webcasts. It does not include web-based, two-way communication, such as direct conversations between individuals online.
Why
Include an alternative for live audio in order to make your accessible to a broader audience. When you offer an equivalent text version or other accessible format, people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or who experience difficulty processing real-time audio can still engage fully with the content. This approach ensures that any essential information that is conveyed through audio is not lost, and makes real-time content accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to hear or process audio content in real time.
This check affects individuals with:
Hearing impairments: Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing rely on text or visual alternatives to access real-time audio content, as they cannot perceive audio directly.
User story
Mei-Ling is a 41-year-old woman originally from Chengdu, China, now living in Brighton, England. She works as a ceramic artist and runs her own studio. Mei-Ling became deaf as a teenager due to an illness and uses both British Sign Language (BSL) and written communication to interact with her clients and manage her business.
""Alright, this might sound a bit nerdy, but there is this forum I am part of for ceramic artists, and they do these live meet-ups. It is amazing, really, people sharing tips and tricks from all over the world, stuff you cannot just find anywhere else. They meet on the other side of the globe, so it is perfect that I could just ‘listen in’…except I cannot. Everyone else can join in real-time, but I am just…left out. It is frustrating. I wish they would just add a transcription or something so I could actually follow along.”"
Example
Example: Live audio with an alternative
The CEO of a global company is giving a speech to discuss how their financial performance is impacted by recent fluctuations in the global economy. The audio from the meeting is streamed live on the company’s website. Next to the audio player, there is a panel where viewers can follow along with a live text transcription of the speech. This allows people who cannot hear the audio transmission to access the information in real time.
How
How to review it?
Since this check involves live streaming audio, it is best conducted during an actual live stream. However, a more practical approach is often to verify that your organization has the necessary procedures and technology in place to manage audio live streams, including offering text alternatives. This can be done with a trained human transcriber capable of producing real-time transcriptions or with software solutions that generate live text transcriptions of the audio.
The Web Governance platform highlights elements in the code that may involve live-streaming audio.
Make an assessment to determine if the audio stream provides an accurate text version of the transmitted audio. If it does, you can mark this issue as reviewed.
This document provides information about the related accessibility checks:
Audio-only (Live) has media alternative.
What
Live audio provides an alternative to time-based media.
Note
This applies to broadcast audio formats such as web-based conference transmissions, live-streamed speeches, and live radio webcasts. It does not include web-based, two-way communication, such as direct conversations between individuals online.
Why
Include an alternative for live audio in order to make your accessible to a broader audience. When you offer an equivalent text version or other accessible format, people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or who experience difficulty processing real-time audio can still engage fully with the content. This approach ensures that any essential information that is conveyed through audio is not lost, and makes real-time content accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to hear or process audio content in real time.
This check affects individuals with:
Hearing impairments: Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing rely on text or visual alternatives to access real-time audio content, as they cannot perceive audio directly.
User story
Mei-Ling is a 41-year-old woman originally from Chengdu, China, now living in Brighton, England. She works as a ceramic artist and runs her own studio. Mei-Ling became deaf as a teenager due to an illness and uses both British Sign Language (BSL) and written communication to interact with her clients and manage her business.
""Alright, this might sound a bit nerdy, but there is this forum I am part of for ceramic artists, and they do these live meet-ups. It is amazing, really, people sharing tips and tricks from all over the world, stuff you cannot just find anywhere else. They meet on the other side of the globe, so it is perfect that I could just ‘listen in’…except I cannot. Everyone else can join in real-time, but I am just…left out. It is frustrating. I wish they would just add a transcription or something so I could actually follow along.”"
Example
Example: Live audio with an alternative
The CEO of a global company is giving a speech to discuss how their financial performance is impacted by recent fluctuations in the global economy. The audio from the meeting is streamed live on the company’s website. Next to the audio player, there is a panel where viewers can follow along with a live text transcription of the speech. This allows people who cannot hear the audio transmission to access the information in real time.
How
How to review it?
Since this check involves live streaming audio, it is best conducted during an actual live stream. However, a more practical approach is often to verify that your organization has the necessary procedures and technology in place to manage audio live streams, including offering text alternatives. This can be done with a trained human transcriber capable of producing real-time transcriptions or with software solutions that generate live text transcriptions of the audio.
The Web Governance platform highlights elements in the code that may involve live-streaming audio.
Make an assessment to determine if the audio stream provides an accurate text version of the transmitted audio. If it does, you can mark this issue as reviewed.
Web Governance