WCAG 1.2.6: Sign Language (Prerecorded)

WCAG 1.2.6: Sign Language (Prerecorded) – Level AA

WCAG 1.2.6, titled “Sign Language (Prerecorded)”, is a Level AA success criterion under the Time-Based Media guideline. This criterion mandates that sign language interpretation must be provided for all prerecorded audio content in synchronized media. Synchronized media refers to audio or video combined with another format for presentation and where the time relationships between the formats are essential, such as an audio track synchronized with a video track.

The goal of this criterion is to ensure that individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing and use sign language as their primary mode of communication can access the full content of prerecorded audio information.

Why This Criterion Matters

Providing sign language interpretation is critical for a significant portion of the deaf community, particularly those whose primary language is a sign language (e.g., American Sign Language – ASL, British Sign Language – BSL, etc.) rather than a written or spoken language. For these users, captions, while essential, may not convey the full meaning, nuance, or emotional context as effectively as their native sign language.

• Primary Language Access: For many deaf individuals, sign language is their first and most comfortable language. Providing content in sign language removes linguistic barriers that may exist even with perfect captions.
• Cognitive Load Reduction: Reading captions can be cognitively demanding, especially for complex or fast-paced content. Sign language interpretation allows users to process information visually in their preferred language, reducing mental effort and improving comprehension.
• Inclusion and Equity: By offering sign language, organizations ensure that their content is genuinely accessible and inclusive for a diverse audience, providing equitable access to information, education, and entertainment.
• Completeness of Information: Sign languages are rich and expressive, conveying not just words but also tone, emotion, and subtle cues through facial expressions and body language that text captions might miss.

Success Criteria and Requirements

To comply with WCAG 1.2.6, the following requirements must be met for prerecorded synchronized media (like videos with audio):

• Comprehensive Interpretation: Sign language interpretation must be provided for *all* prerecorded audio content. This includes narration, dialogue, and any other significant auditory information that conveys meaning.
• Synchronized Media: The criterion specifically applies to content where audio and video are synchronized. If the content is purely audio (e.g., a podcast without video), other criteria like transcripts or audio descriptions would apply, but not this one.
• Clear and Visible Interpreter: The sign language interpreter should be clearly visible within the video frame. They must be adequately lit, in good contrast with the background, and large enough for their signs and facial expressions to be easily discernible. The interpreter should not obscure any other important visual information in the main video.
• Qualified Interpreter: While WCAG does not define ‘qualified’, best practice dictates using a professional, certified sign language interpreter to ensure accuracy and fidelity to the original content.
• Accessibility: The sign language interpretation should be an integral part of the media or easily selectable and synchronized with the content.

Practical Guidelines for Compliance

Implementing sign language interpretation effectively requires careful planning and execution:

• Plan Early: Integrate sign language interpretation into your content production workflow from the very beginning. This avoids costly re-editing or retrofitting.
• Engage Professional Interpreters: Always use certified and experienced sign language interpreters. Their expertise ensures accurate and natural interpretation.
• Optimal Recording Conditions: When recording the interpreter, ensure they are well-lit, against a plain, contrasting background, and captured with high-quality audio and video. Avoid busy backgrounds that could distract or make the signs difficult to read.
• Integration Methods: Consider how the interpretation will be presented to the user:
  • Picture-in-Picture (PiP): The interpreter is displayed in a smaller window overlaid on the main video. Ensure this window is adequately sized and positioned not to obscure essential visual information.
  • Separate Video Track/Toggle: Provide an option for users to toggle a sign language track on/off within a video player, or offer a dedicated version of the video that includes the interpreter.
  • Dedicated Version: Create and publish a completely separate version of the video that inherently includes the sign language interpreter.
• User Controls: If the sign language interpretation is an optional track or a different version, ensure there are clear, accessible controls for users to select and activate it.
• Local Sign Languages: Be mindful that sign languages are specific to regions and cultures (e.g., ASL, BSL, LSF for French Sign Language). If your content targets a specific audience, ensure the interpretation matches their local sign language.

Examples of Correct and Incorrect Implementations

Correct Implementation

A video featuring a sign language interpreter either embedded as a picture-in-picture or accessible via a clear toggle option.

<video controls preload="metadata" width="640" height="360" poster="video-thumbnail.jpg">
  <!-- The 'src' video file already includes the sign language interpreter as a PiP -->
  <source src="main-content-with-sign-language.mp4" type="video/mp4">
  <source src="main-content-with-sign-language.webm" type="video/webm">
  <track kind="captions" srclang="en" label="English Captions" src="captions.vtt">
  <p>Your browser does not support the video tag.</p>
</video>
<p><em>In this scenario, the MP4/WebM file itself is produced with the sign language interpreter's window already embedded, ensuring it's always available to the user.</em></p>

<div>
  <h3>Watch the video:</h3>
  <button onclick="playVideo('original')">Original Version</button>
  <button onclick="playVideo('signlanguage')">Version with Sign Language</button>

  <video id="myVideo" controls preload="metadata" width="640" height="360" poster="video-thumbnail.jpg">
    <source id="videoSource" src="original-content.mp4" type="video/mp4">
    <track kind="captions" srclang="en" label="English Captions" src="captions.vtt">
    <p>Your browser does not support the video tag.</p>
  </video>
</div>

<script>
  function playVideo(version) {
    const video = document.getElementById('myVideo');
    const videoSource = document.getElementById('videoSource');
    if (version === 'original') {
      videoSource.src = 'original-content.mp4';
    } else if (version === 'signlanguage') {
      videoSource.src = 'content-with-sign-language.mp4'; // This file includes the SL interpreter
    }
    video.load(); // Reloads the video element with the new source
    video.play();
  }
</script>
<p><em>This approach allows users to choose their preferred version, ensuring access for those who need sign language interpretation.</em></p>

Incorrect Implementation

Content that only provides captions or a transcript without any sign language interpretation for prerecorded audio.

<video controls preload="metadata" width="640" height="360" poster="my-video-thumbnail.jpg">
  <source src="my-video.mp4" type="video/mp4">
  <track kind="captions" srclang="en" label="English Captions" src="captions.vtt">
  <!-- No sign language interpretation is provided -->
  <p>Your browser does not support the video tag.</p>
</video>
<p><em>This implementation is incorrect if the video contains prerecorded audio content that requires sign language interpretation, even with accurate captions. Captions alone do not meet the requirements of WCAG 1.2.6.</em></p>

<video controls preload="metadata" width="640" height="360" poster="video-with-sl-issues.jpg">
  <source src="video-with-small-or-poorly-contrasted-sl.mp4" type="video/mp4">
  <track kind="captions" srclang="en" label="English Captions" src="captions.vtt">
  <p>Your browser does not support the video tag.</p>
</video>
<p><em>Even if sign language interpretation is technically present, if it's too small, poorly lit, positioned incorrectly (e.g., blocking speaker's face), or difficult to see against a busy background, it fails to meet the spirit and functional requirements of the criterion, rendering it effectively inaccessible.</em></p>

Best Practices and Common Pitfalls

Best Practices

• Integrate from the Start: Make sign language interpretation a default part of your content creation process for all relevant media.
• High-Quality Production: Ensure the interpreter is always clearly visible, well-lit, and professionally recorded.
• User-Centric Design: Offer intuitive ways for users to access sign language, whether through a dedicated version or toggleable options within a player.
• Culturally Appropriate: Use sign language interpreters who are fluent in the specific sign language relevant to your target audience.
• Test with Users: Get feedback from deaf sign language users to ensure your implementation is genuinely effective and easy to use.

Common Pitfalls

• Sole Reliance on Captions: Believing captions are sufficient for all deaf users.
• Poor Quality Interpretation: Using unqualified interpreters or poorly recorded video of the interpretation.
• Visibility Issues: Interpreter window being too small, poorly contrasted, badly lit, or obscuring vital parts of the main video.
• Inconsistent Provision: Providing sign language for some content but not all prerecorded audio in synchronized media.
• Lack of User Control: Not giving users easy ways to enable or disable the sign language interpretation.

By adhering to WCAG 1.2.6, you demonstrate a commitment to providing truly inclusive and accessible web content for the deaf community, enhancing their ability to engage with and understand your valuable information.