WCAG 1.2.8 Media Alternative: Providing Full Text Alternatives for Video Content

Level AAA Perceivable WCAG 1.2.8

What This Criterion Requires

WCAG 1.2.8 requires that a full text alternative is provided for all prerecorded synchronized media (video with audio). Unlike captions which provide a text version of the audio, and unlike audio descriptions which provide an audio version of the visual content, a media alternative is a comprehensive text document that describes both the visual and auditory content of a video in a single, cohesive format. This document includes all dialogue, descriptions of meaningful visual actions, scene settings, on-screen text, emotional tone, and any other information needed to fully understand the media without watching or listening to it. Media alternatives serve users who are both deaf and blind (deafblind users), users who process text more effectively than audio or video, users in situations where they cannot play media, and users who prefer to read content at their own pace. The text alternative should follow the chronological sequence of the video and be detailed enough that someone reading it alone would understand the complete content and message of the video.

Why It Matters

While captions help deaf users and audio descriptions help blind users, neither solution alone serves deafblind users who cannot access either audio or visual content. A full media alternative in text form can be consumed using a refreshable Braille display, providing deafblind users with complete access to video content. Beyond deafblind users, media alternatives benefit people with cognitive disabilities who process written text more easily than multimedia, non-native speakers who can read at their own pace and look up unfamiliar words, users in quiet environments like libraries where they cannot play audio, users with slow internet connections who cannot stream video, and search engines that can index the full text content. For organizations, media alternatives also serve as a master transcript that can be repurposed for documentation, knowledge bases, and training materials. Despite being a AAA criterion, providing media alternatives demonstrates a strong commitment to inclusive content and ensures no user is completely excluded from accessing video content.

Common Failures and How to Fix Them

Only captions provided without visual content descriptions

A video page includes a caption track or transcript of the audio, but does not describe any of the visual content. Users who cannot see the video miss important information conveyed visually, such as demonstrations, charts, diagrams, and physical actions.

Inaccessible 
<!-- Transcript only includes spoken words -->
<details>
  <summary>Transcript</summary>
  <p>Welcome to our cooking tutorial. First, you want to add the ingredients. Mix them together thoroughly. Now place it in the oven.</p>
</details>
Accessible 
<!-- Full media alternative includes visual descriptions -->
<details>
  <summary>Full text alternative (includes visual descriptions)</summary>
  <p><strong>Scene:</strong> A bright kitchen with a marble countertop. A chef in a white apron stands behind a mixing bowl.</p>
  <p><strong>Chef:</strong> Welcome to our cooking tutorial.</p>
  <p><strong>Visual:</strong> The chef places three eggs, 200g flour, and 150ml milk on the counter, arranged left to right.</p>
  <p><strong>Chef:</strong> First, you want to add the ingredients.</p>
  <p><strong>Visual:</strong> The chef cracks each egg into the bowl, then sifts the flour through a mesh strainer, and pours the milk in a thin stream.</p>
  <p><strong>Chef:</strong> Mix them together thoroughly.</p>
  <p><strong>Visual:</strong> Using a whisk, the chef stirs the batter in circular motions for approximately 30 seconds until the mixture is smooth with no visible lumps.</p>
</details>

Media alternative is too brief or lacks chronological structure

A text alternative is provided but it summarizes the video in a few sentences rather than providing a comprehensive, sequential description of all auditory and visual content.

Inaccessible 
<div class="media-alt">
  <p>This video shows how to set up a WordPress site with accessibility features enabled.</p>
</div>
Accessible 
<div class="media-alt">
  <h3>Full Text Alternative: WordPress Accessibility Setup Tutorial</h3>
  <p><strong>[00:00]</strong> Title screen displays: WordPress Accessibility Setup Guide, 2026 Edition.</p>
  <p><strong>[00:05] Narrator:</strong> In this tutorial, we will configure your WordPress site for WCAG 2.2 AA compliance.</p>
  <p><strong>[00:12] Visual:</strong> The WordPress admin dashboard is shown. The narrator moves the cursor to the left sidebar and clicks Appearance, then Themes.</p>
  <p><strong>[00:18] Narrator:</strong> Start by choosing an accessibility-ready theme. Look for the accessibility-ready tag in the theme directory.</p>
  <p><strong>[00:25] Visual:</strong> The theme directory filters panel is shown. The narrator clicks Feature Filter, scrolls down to the Accessibility Ready checkbox, and enables it. The theme list refreshes to show 47 themes.</p>
</div>

How to Test

  1. Identify all prerecorded synchronized media (videos with audio) on the website.
  2. For each video, check whether a full text alternative is provided nearby, either on the same page or linked directly from the page.
  3. Read the text alternative and verify it includes all spoken dialogue, descriptions of meaningful visual content, scene settings, on-screen text, and relevant sound effects.
  4. Confirm the text alternative follows the chronological sequence of the video so a reader can follow along.
  5. Verify that someone who has never seen or heard the video could fully understand its content and message from the text alternative alone.

Further Reading

Related WCAG Criteria