Media Alternative (Prerecorded)
Tier 1 · The normative floor
Baseline compliance
What the normative text of WCAG 2.2 requires, and nothing more. Only a failure of this tier is a WCAG failure.
The bare minimum
All prerecorded synchronized media and all prerecorded video-only media have an alternative for time-based media: a document with correctly sequenced text descriptions of the visual and auditory information, and a way to achieve the outcome of any interaction.
Normative text
Verbatim from WCAG 2.2, W3C Recommendation 12 December 2024. Underlined terms are defined below.
An alternative for time-based media is provided for all prerecorded synchronized media and for all prerecorded video-only media.
Known failures
These fail this criterion or a related one named in the text. Log them as WCAG failures.
- A dialogue-only transcript doesn't meet the definition of an alternative for time-based media, because it leaves out the visual information.
Not required by the normative text
Common claims that this criterion does not support. Don't log these as WCAG failures.
- A specific location for the document.
Definitions used (4)
Glossary definitions are normative. Their notes are informative.
- alternative for time-based media
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document including correctly sequenced text descriptions of time-based visual and auditory information and providing a means for achieving the outcomes of any time-based interaction
Informative notes (1)
A screenplay used to create the synchronized media content would meet this definition only if it was corrected to accurately represent the final synchronized media after editing.
- prerecorded
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information that is not live
- synchronized media
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audio or video synchronized with another format for presenting information and/or with time-based interactive components, unless the media is a media alternative for text that is clearly labeled as such
- video-only
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a time-based presentation that contains only video (no audio and no interaction)
Tier 2 · The gap
Usability & user impact
Where content can meet this criterion and still make things harder for people with disabilities. These are not failures of SC 1.2.8, so raise them as usability defects. Known failures, including failures of related criteria, are listed in Tier 1.
A complete alternative is little use if users can't find it.
Tier 3 · The golden path
Recommended best practice
The pattern that meets the floor, closes the gap, and avoids audit disputes. A recommendation, not a requirement.
Publish a descriptive transcript (dialogue plus visual descriptions) directly beneath the media.
W3C's Understanding document and techniques for SC 1.2.8 ↗ are informative: sufficient techniques show ways to pass, and documented failures show common ways to fail, but neither changes what the criterion requires.
How SC 1.2.8 maps to the WCAG 3 draft
From this site's reviewed map to the WCAG 3 editor's draft. It's an interpretation: W3C has not published a mapping.
Successor provisions
From WCAG 2.2, section 5.1: “The main content of WCAG 2.2 is normative and defines requirements that impact conformance claims. Introductory material, appendices, sections marked as "non-normative", diagrams, examples, and notes are informative (non-normative). Non-normative material provides advisory information to help interpret the guidelines but does not create requirements that impact a conformance claim.”