The method
- Identify programme, episode, platform and viewing mode: live, replay or another offer. Specify the need: subtitle language, accessibility captions or audio description. These are not interchangeable.
- Open the programme on your intended device and examine available choices. Record the exact label and observed result. An option mentioned in a description does not prove it worked in your test.
- If the need remains unmet, prepare a help request naming programme, device and date. Share no credentials or account data. Mark other devices as untested.
Fictional worked example
In a fictional case, an option is found on a tablet but the television has not been tried. The notebook preserves the tablet result and the open television question.
The record to keep
Keep exact programme, test context and any service reply. A new device creates a new context.
Your record, step by step
For your own situation, record the following information. Check a field when it is documented; missing information still needs verification. The boxes are a reminder within this page.
This checklist does not validate your project. No entries are sent or saved.
What this method can establish
The method guarantees no availability or overall compliance. An older announcement describes its period; a current check informs your particular use.
Useful questions before you start
Are subtitles and audio description identical?
They meet different needs; locate the option matching your own requirement.
Does one test cover every device?
Preserve its context and mark other devices as untested.
Captions, transcripts and audio description serve different needs
A translation option does not cover every access need. Check the aids available for the actual video and chosen language.
- Identify the need
- Choose the right track
- Test a passage
| Situation | What changes | Useful check |
|---|---|---|
| Captions | Synchronised speech and important sounds. | Check speakers, relevant sounds and timing. |
| Descriptive transcript | Readable text with necessary audio and visual information. | Check that it also covers actions without dialogue. |
| Audio description | Spoken description of essential visual information. | Test its presence on the version actually offered. |
Review automatically generated captions. Also test player controls by keyboard; a feature advertised by a platform can be absent from a particular programme.
Documentation : W3C WAI — Planning Audio and Video Media ↗ · · Read the reference record →
Supporting documentation
These references support the method. Each source shows its language and consultation date; an available directory record explains its purpose.
- France Télévisions — Développements du sous-titrage FR ↗
Documentation consulted on
An editorial method, a fictional example and references for further reading.