Multi media

• Video, sound and Flash files must only be used to enhance your website.  The site must be functional without these files.
• If you embed a multimedia file into a web page, the page should be coded to degrade to a static image seamlessly for users without the relevant Players or those who have javascript turned off.
• All multimedia files must be referenced correctly.  Though many browsers now support Flash and other multi-media formats, for reasons of accessibility we must add a link to the relevant media Player/Plug-in with which to play the file.
• Additionally, a static 'screenshot' in JPEG format, matching the dimensions of the movie should be supplied to act as a placeholder for users who do not have flash enabled on their devices.
• When linking to a multimedia download you must provide the size of the file, file type and details of estimated download times.
• Multimedia files must not run on a continuous loop. Users must be given the facility to halt the loop if required.
• File type must be .flv
• Resolution should be maximum 550px wide by a proportionate height (to fit Hantsweb template)
• Both audio and video files can act as an excellent means of conveying information as long as alternatives are provided. Therefore, all audio and videos files must have a transcript published in HTML

Influences on this standard

W3C Web Accessibility Initiative

W3C guideline 1
"Until user agents can automatically read aloud the text equivalent of a visual track, provide an auditory description of the important information of the visual track of a multimedia presentation....For any time-based multimedia presentation (e.g., a movie or animation), synchronize equivalent alternatives (e.g., captions or auditory descriptions of the visual track) with the presentation"