What Are “Burned In” Captions/Subtitles?
The definition of “burned in” captions/subtitles is as follows: captions and/or subtitles that are embedded into the video that is being played.
Just as an example, if you are watching a movie on DVD, you can turn on the subtitles. Or, if you don’t want them to appear, you can turn them off.
If you are watching a video with burned in captions/subtitles, though, then you cannot turn off these captions/subtitles; they will remain on the screen, no matter what you do, because they are embedded in the video.
Can “Burned In” Captions/Subtitles Affect Your Website’s ADA Accessibility?
The answer to the question outlined above is “Yes, burned-in captions/subtitles can, and will, affect your website’s ADA accessibility.”
Some of the most notable reasons why the above is true are as follows:
● If your captions/subtitles are burned in, then users who rely on screen readers and other assistive technologies will be unable to access them.
● If your captions/subtitles are burned in, then users who want to turn them off will be unable to do so, since they are burned into the video.
● If your captions/subtitles are burned in, then it is very difficult for them to be translated, especially with automated translation technologies that access caption/subtitle files.
● If your captions/subtitles are burned in, then users who want to adjust their size so that they can see them more clearly will be unable to do so.
● If your captions/subtitles are burned in, then users who would like to change their font, so that they can be read with greater ease, will be unable to do so.
● If your captions/subtitles are burned in, then users who would like to adjust their overall color contrast will be unable to do so.
● If your captions/subtitles are burned in, then users who would like to access a transcript of what occurs in the video you have posted will be unable to do so.
Outside of the above, a wide variety of other, equally significant, ADA web accessibility issues can, and almost always will, arise if you rely on burned in captions/subtitles.
The best way to avoid these issues is to make videos that rely on their own distinct caption/subtitle files.
