Tips for digital inclusion | Deaf Awareness Week
Deaf Awareness Week is an annual event used to celebrate the deaf community. This year, Deaf Awareness Week 2023 takes place from the?1st to the 7th of May.
We know that many people within the deaf community face digital exclusion daily. This begs the question... What can we do as business owners to include our clients and colleagues and immediately improve our customer reach?
Below are our 5 tips to help you create a more inclusive website and digital experiences plus some bonus pro tips.
1. Include subtitles or auto-captions on all videos.
Hearing-impaired people are excluded from video content that relies on the spoken word to convey its message. Include subtitles or closed captions when creating video content. There are multiple tools are available to help with this, for example:?
Pro tip: double-check auto-captions for accuracy as they occasionally misunderstand a word.?
2. Upload video via YouTube, which has accessible features build-in
Closed captions (CC) are available to all YouTube browsers. Browsers can select the subtitles/closed caption button to turn on captioning for all videos. This inbuilt accessible feature makes it easier for business owners to communicate effectively with hearing-impaired customers.?
Pro tip: Browsers can adjust the playback speed in setting on YouTube and take their time to read the captions.?
3. Make a transcript of the video content available.
Include a link to a PDF transcript copy for all video content across your website and digital platforms. Ensure this is easy to locate and download.?
Pro tip: For story-telling videos, include a description of audio cues to give the reader a richer experience, for example, birds chirping, the creaking floorboards etc.?
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4. Use a sign language interpreter for video calls.
For video conferencing, the conversation can be lost over auto-captioning. It can be tiring and frustrating for hearing-impaired people to keep up with the subtitles in a dynamic, energised meeting. The best practice is to provide a sign-language interpreter.?
5. Include multiple contact options: email or live chat.
Could you provide multiple contact options for your customers rather than just a phone number? Email, forms, or live web chat are alternative ways to be digitally inclusive.?
Pro tip: Contact an expert in designing websites and digital platforms with accessibility in mind.?
If you are thinking of updating your website and want to ensure all your customers can browse and access your services, we would love to help you.
Get in touch: +44 (0) 20 3794 6045 | [email protected]