HTML Video in an exhibit - alt text/transcription

[jlegg]

A question about how to implement a video description/transcription using the HTML5 Media plugin in an exhibit.

Our Omeka Classic exhibits utilize both images and videos quite a bit and have developed the necessary image descriptions, video descriptions, and transcriptions. We’ve specified the alt text using the item’s file name as described in the documentation. This is working well with images, however after testing with screenreaders and braille displays, I’m noticing that when navigating the exhibit the video player does not return the description from the file title (it identifies it as a video player and narrates the navigation of the player controls) and it also does not engage the transcription file. Clicking on the video does not link to the item page, so we’ve added a link to the caption instead. (Note: the video playback and captioning do work for sighted users - so the player is functioning correctly!)

See an example here:
https://deafprinters.com/exhibits/show/wapoexhibit/starting-work
(Residential School Training video)

Is there a solution for this? In an ideal world, it would be preferable for screenreaders to be able to identify the video player, read the file title (video description), and the option to play the transcript. Users would also be able to navigate to the item page somehow as well.

[jflatnes]

It looks like you’re using the HTML5 Media plugin, is that right?

It looks to me like MediaElement.js, the library used by that plugin, doesn’t give you a ton of options for changing the title/label it uses for the video player; it just looks up the translated text for “Video Player” and uses that. It’s possible that’s something the plugin could work around and insert its own screen-reader visible text instead, though.

In terms of the caption text track… I’m not sure there’s more you can really do to make it available to assistive technology beyond what you’re doing already. Maybe using aria-describedby to connect the caption which links to the transcript to the video element?

[jlegg]

That’s correct - we’re using the HTML5 Media plugin.

Good to know and thanks for that advice on the caption tracks. We’ll do some more testing with JAWS and see what seems to be best. We may add the description to the caption field to make sure it’s visible without needing to navigate to the other page and keep the transcript where it is.

Thanks for your reply!