2. Video track

What does this mean?

The background in videos should be clearly distinct from other visual elements and should not contain any distracting elements. A neutral background means that it is not excessively patterned or detailed, so as not to divert attention from the main content. Such a background can consist of a solid colour or a simple pattern that directs the focus to the main content of the video and minimises visual distractions.

Why is this important? 

A neutral video background helps people who are easily distracted to focus on the content. Furthermore, a clear contrast with other elements helps people who have difficulty distinguishing colours to recognise and understand the content more easily.

How can you put this into practice/check it?

To create a neutral background that contrasts with the elements used in videos, the following measures can be taken:

• Colour choice: Use neutral colours for the background and ensure that it stands out clearly from other elements. Avoid overly complex or distracting background patterns.
• Contrast check: Check the contrast between the background and the text or other visual elements to ensure it is sufficiently clear.
• Neutral background: Choose a neutral background that is not too dominant and does not distract attention from the actual content. A simple and uniform background can help to direct attention to the speaker or the material being presented.

What does this mean?

In videos, ensure that the speaker is clearly visible and their mouth movements can be seen clearly. This provides visual support for processing spoken information. By emphasising the mouth movements, for example, lip movements and the shape of the mouth can be recognised more easily, which makes it easier to understand what is being said.

Why is this important? 

Visually highlighting the speaker and their mouth movements helps recipients who rely on visual cues when taking in auditory information. This applies in particular to people with hearing impairments, who may need to read lips in order to better understand what is being said.

How can you put this into practice/check it?

To ensure that the speaker and their mouth movements are clearly visible, the following measures can be taken:

• Camera settings: Ensure that the camera clearly captures the speaker and that their mouth movements are easily recognisable. Avoid excessive zooming or blurry shots.
• Lighting: Ensure there is sufficient lighting so that the speaker’s face is clearly visible. Avoid strong backlighting or shadows that could obscure the mouth movements.
• Emphasise mouth movements: The speaker should take care to speak clearly and intelligibly. Emphasising mouth movements and pronunciation can help make the lip movements more recognisable.

What does this mean?

In videos, the relevant information should be presented clearly and visually. This means that key spoken information should also be conveyed using visual elements such as text, graphics, diagrams or animations.

Why is this important? 

The visual presentation of relevant information in videos helps people who primarily take in information visually. This includes, for example, people with hearing impairments and those who have difficulty processing information aurally. It also helps people who cannot play the video with sound because of their surroundings or background noise.

How can you put this into practice/check it?

To ensure that relevant information is visually noticeable, the following measures can be taken:

• Clear, high-contrast text: Use easily legible fonts and ensure that the text contrasts sufficiently with the background to guarantee good readability.
• Graphics and diagrams: Use visual representations such as graphics, diagrams or infographics to convey information clearly. Ensure a clear structure and label the elements clearly.
• Transcripts and audio description: Provide a transcript of the spoken content, which can be displayed within the video or made available as a separate text document. If necessary, also include an audio description to make visual information accessible to people with visual impairments.
• Image descriptions: Include image descriptions or alternative text that provide people with visual impairments with a description of the visual content.

What does this mean?

Subtitles should be used in videos to provide the spoken content in written form. These subtitles offer visual support and reproduce the spoken words verbatim. Where appropriate, they may also describe background noise, music or other auditory information.

Why is this important? 

The use of subtitles that describe auditory information helps people who rely on visual information or who need visual support to process information. This includes, for example, people with hearing impairments who cannot fully understand the spoken content, neurodivergent people who benefit from additional visual cues, and anyone watching in a noisy environment.

How can you put this into practice/check it?

To ensure that subtitles accurately describe auditory information, the following measures can be taken:

• Accurate transcription: Create an accurate transcription of the spoken content, including background noise, music or other relevant auditory information.
• Clear formatting: Ensure that the subtitles are clear and easy to read. Use an appropriate font size and colour, and ensure there is sufficient contrast between the subtitle text and the background.
• Timing and synchronisation: Ensure that the subtitles are displayed in sync with the spoken content and that they remain on screen long enough to be read.
• Intelligibility: Use precise and appropriate subtitles that correspond to the audio information.

What does this mean?

Information should not only be conveyed visually, but also presented in written form and through visual aids such as images, graphics, diagrams or videos. Text and visual content can thus complement each other to improve communication and understanding.

Why is this important? 

It is important to provide visual information in the form of text and images to ensure that the message reaches all recipients. Not everyone processes information in the same way. Some people are visually oriented and can understand information better when they can see it. By combining speech, text and images, people who find it difficult to rely solely on auditory information can better understand and take in the content. By providing visual information such as subtitles, transcripts or image descriptions, you ensure that people with different abilities and learning styles can understand the content of the video.

How can you put this into practice/check it?

Visual information can be incorporated into videos in various ways:

•  Include images, graphics or diagrams that support or illustrate the spoken content.
•  Include image descriptions: Where images or graphics are used in the video, image descriptions should be provided to explain what can be seen in the images. This can be done either as subtitles or as separate descriptive text.

What does this mean?

When creating videos, it is important to ensure that the contrast levels – particularly in images – are sufficiently high. Sufficiently high contrast means that there is enough difference between the colours to allow for clear visual distinction.

When images are used, they must have a minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 against the background.

Why is this important? 

It is important to ensure that videos have sufficiently high contrast levels to make it easier for people who cannot perceive all colours clearly to access information. High contrast enables these people to recognise and understand visual content more easily.

How can you put this into practice/check it?

To ensure sufficiently high contrast in videos, you can take the following measures:

• Choose colour combinations that provide sufficient contrast between the background and text or images.
• Use light text colours on a dark background or dark text colours on a light background to achieve clear contrast.
• Ensure that the contrast between colours remains clearly visible across different screens and under varying lighting conditions.
• Test the contrast by viewing the video on different devices and screens and ensuring that the content is clearly visible.
• Take contrast into account when using graphics or diagrams to ensure that the information is clearly recognisable to all users.

A contrast ratio tool can be used to check that the contrast is sufficient. There are various online tools or software programmes available that can be used to measure the ratio between colours. The recommended ratio is 4.5:1. By comparing the contrast ratio with this standard value, you can check whether the contrast levels are sufficiently high.

What does this mean?

Videos should not contain images that flash frequently or blink rapidly. It is recommended that an image should not flash more than three times per second.

When an image flashes, this means that it switches on and off very quickly and repeatedly, or alternates between different brightness levels. This can be achieved through rapid changes to the image content, background colours or brightness levels. The result is a flickering or flashing effect, in which the image becomes visible and invisible at short intervals or undergoes significant changes in brightness.

Why is this important?

It is important to avoid flashing images in videos, as people who are sensitive to light stimuli may experience discomfort or even health problems caused by flickering or flashing images. People with epilepsy or light-sensitive migraine attacks are particularly at risk. Avoiding flashing images ensures that the videos are safe and accessible for all users.

How can you put this into practice/check it?

To avoid flashing images in accessible videos, you can take the following measures:

• Flashing effects: Do not use rapid, repeated flashing effects or animated images with sharp changes in contrast.
• Animations: If animations are used, ensure they are slow and smooth, without any sudden flashes.
• Transitions and effects: Check all visual elements of the video, including transitions and effects, to ensure they do not contain any flickering or flashing elements.
• Changes in lighting: Ensure that the visual elements in your videos are soothing and easy on the eyes, without any rapid or intense changes in lighting.

What does this mean?

Videos must allow for the use of sign language. This means that one or more sign language interpreters translate the spoken content into sign language and communicate in front of the camera.

Why is this important?

The integration of sign language is important to enable people who use German Sign Language (DGS) to access information and content in digital educational videos. For many people with hearing impairments, sign language is their primary or preferred form of communication. Through the integration of sign language, these people are enabled to better understand the content of the videos and participate fully.

How can you put this into practice/check it?

You can either integrate sign language directly into the video player or leave space in the frame during planning and recording so that sign language interpreters can be added to the video later.

What does this mean?

Avoid excessive visual effects and animations in videos. Use effects, movement, and animations sparingly or not at all to minimise distractions.

Why is this important?

It is important to reduce the number of visual effects in videos to enable people who are easily distracted or who are particularly sensitive to visual stimuli to concentrate better on the content. Excessive visual effects can make it difficult for these people to focus on the actual content, causing them to miss important information. Reducing visual distractions improves the accessibility and comprehensibility of the videos.

How can you put this into practice/check it?

To minimise visual effects in accessible videos, you can take the following measures:

• Avoid excessive use of animations, movement or visual effects that do not directly contribute to the understanding of the content.
• Keep the design of the videos simple and uncluttered to minimise visual distractions.
• Use a clear structure and easily readable text to keep the focus on the content.