Writing & StyleStyle guide

Writing Integrated Visual Descriptions in Video Scripts

Writing Integrated Visual Descriptions in Video Scripts records a distinct W3C-supported accessibility writing task while keeping implementation mechanics outside the writing guidance.

Quick answer

For suitable new videos, write the main script so the speaker naturally states the important visual information instead of relying on viewers to see it.

Key details

Core IssueW3C WAI recommends planning some new videos so relevant visual information is naturally included in the speakers’ main script.
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Important caveats

Scope Boundary

Use integrated description where it fits the content naturally; stories or visually dense material may still require a separate described version or description track.

Further guidance

Content

When scripting a suitable new video, write the spoken content so that important visual information is stated naturally rather than depending on “as you can see” or an unexplained visual reference.

Purpose

Integrating necessary visual information into the main audio can make the video understandable without requiring a separate description track.

Sources and evidence

Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.

  1. Description of Visual Information (opens in a new tab)World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) · W3C WAI guidance for writing descriptions of visual information needed to understand video.

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