Inclusive Social Media

As Instagram is largely a visual platform, the core principles relating to accessibility revolve around ensuring the visual content is accessible; however, any captions (text) that you add to your story will need to be accessible.

Instagram Best Practices

• Add captions to videos and alt-text to images. This is arguably one of the most important steps in making Instagram accessible to all.
  • As Instagram only allows a 1-minute video loop, formal captions aren't always possible but providing a transcript of what was said in the alt-text field is an alternative.
  • Instructions for alt-text can be found in the menu along the right side of the page.
• Indicate if your video doesn't have any sound
  • This can just be done in the post
• Provide narration in your videos
  • This an alternative to described video.  The idea is to describe the setting so the listener understands why they hear the sounds.  
• Use CamelCase
  • CamelCase is the art of writing Hashtags with the first letter of each word with a capital.  It makes it easier for everyone, especially those with a learning disorder and those using a screenreader.
• Ensure your message is simple, free of typos and logical
  • It is also important that your message contains neither acronyms nor complex language.
• Structure your post
  • Put any links or hashtags at the end of the message.  This is important for readers who are using a screen-reader or who have a learning disability.  
• Be conservative with your use of emojis.  
  • While one or two are acceptable in a post, several all strung together are not.

These best practices can be applied to any social media accessibility platform. Many of these concepts are also web and print accessibility best practices, so once you know the principle, it can transfer to another area.

So what are these best practices?

• Provide captions for videos
• Tag, caption, or provide alt-text for images
• Use CamelCase for hashtags, which is the idea of WritingHashtagsLikeThis instead of WRITINGTHEMLIKETHIS
• Indicate where your links lead to, [Audio], [Photo], or [Video]
• Avoid using acronyms
• Use a URL shortener, such as Bitly. The link is in the menu along the right side, or better yet, hyperlink the URL.
• Put any links or hashtags at the end of your message.

Facebook Accessibility Best Practices

So how do you make your content accessible?

• Add captions or alt-text 
• If you run a Facebook Page, Facebook will create automatic captions and alt-text for your videos and images; however, it is computer-generated and is not always accurate.  To ensure your message is getting across, edit your captions and alt-text. Please see the link in the menu on the right on how to edit FB captions.  If you are using a personal Facebook page, you will need to create your own captions to upload.  Instructions can also be found in the menu on the right.
• Use CamelCase
• CamelCase is the art of writing Hashtags with the first letter of each word with a capital.  It makes it easier for everyone, especially those with a learning disorder and those using a screenreader.
• Ensure that your message is clear, free of typos and logical.
• This helps everyone, especially those with a learning disorder.  
• Make sure there is enough contrast, if you are adding words over an image.
• Infographics, the photos you see with text on top are problematic for many people.  If you have the option not to use it, that would be best.  If you do need to share it, ensure that this text has also been added to the alt-text as screen readers often don't recognize this as text.
• Provide a descriptive video narration and captions or ASL of your live stream.
• There are a few ways to make your live stream video accessible, depending on the context.  If you are creating a video of a meeting or lecture, including an ASL interpreter or live captions would be an option.  If you live streaming jumping out of a plane, the ASL interpreter may not enjoy coming with you, and providing those captions later would be the best bet.  While you are recording your video, giving context to your surroundings helps visually impaired individuals understand the setting of your video.  In the sky diving example, if the person jumping were to narrate that they are about to jump out of a plane before they start screaming, it would make a lot more sense than a video with just someone screaming on their way down (I at least would be screaming)!

Adding these best practices into your Facebook posting workflow will ensure your content is available to all readers.

References

Zephoria - Facebook Statistics

World Bank - World Population

World Health Organization - World Report on Disability

YouTube Accessibility

YouTube accessibility is pretty simple - caption your video!  That is the most critical aspect of YouTube accessibility.  If you are interested in providing a higher level of accessibility, add either Described Video or Integrated Described Video to your content.  Described Video (DV) is the process of adding narration after the material has been written, Integrated Described Video (IDV) includes the DV process into the scriptwriting process. It is part of the dialogue rather than narrated over the script.  For more information, please see the links in the menu on the right.

So just to recap, YouTube accessibility best practices:

• Caption videos
• Provide Described Video or Integrated Described Video

References

Mashable - YouTube Facts