Video Player accessibility

Overview

The Cloudinary Video Player is designed to provide an inclusive video experience that meets WCAG 2.2 AA compliance. This ensures that users with disabilities can fully engage with video content through assistive technologies, keyboard navigation, and other accessibility-friendly enhancements.

Keyboard Navigation & Screen Reader Support

The Cloudinary Video Player is fully operable via keyboard controls, ensuring accessibility for users who rely on screen readers and keyboard navigation. Key features include:

• Tab Navigation: All interactive elements, including play/pause, volume, captions, and fullscreen controls, are accessible via the Tab key.
• Clear Focus Indicators: Active elements have a clearly visible outline when navigated using the keyboard.
• ARIA Attributes: ARIA roles and attributes are embedded in player elements to ensure compatibility with screen readers.

Closed Captions & Subtitles

The player supports multi-language closed captions and subtitles, which are essential for users with hearing impairments.

Features include:

• Automatic Transcription & Translation: Cloudinary can generate transcripts automatically and support multiple language translations.
• Customizable Caption Styling: Users can adjust font, color, background, and positioning of captions to enhance readability.
• Support for VTT & SRT Files: Upload caption files in industry-standard formats for seamless integration.
• Live Streaming Captions: Closed captions are now available for live stream video content to ensure real-time accessibility.

Audio Descriptions

For users with visual impairments, the Cloudinary Video Player allows integration of audio descriptions, providing spoken narration of on-screen content. This is enabled by support for alternate audio tracks for adaptive bitrate streaming and can be used to provide descriptive audio playback.

Adjustable Playback & UI Customization

The video player includes multiple customization options to enhance accessibility:

• Adjustable Playback Speed: Users can slow down or speed up video playback for better comprehension.
• High-Contrast & Themed UI: The player UI supports different color schemes and high-contrast modes to improve visibility.

Automatic Format Optimization & Streaming Support

The Cloudinary Video Player automatically selects the best video format and codec based on the user’s device and browser. This improves performance and ensures:

• Efficient Streaming for Screen Readers: Adaptive bitrate streaming ensures smooth playback across different connection speeds.
• Compatibility with Assistive Technologies: Optimized video formats improve compatibility with screen readers and accessibility tools.