1.2.3 / 1.2.5 Audio description - No pause

[MakotoUeki]

If a video has no pause in dialogue to provide audio descriptions, is the video considered to meet SC 1.2.3 / 1.2.5 Audio description?

Even if the content author want to provide audio descriptions to the video, there is no pause in dialog even for just one second. They might consider to provide the extended audio descriptoion (Level AAA) though.

Neither WCAG 2.2 itself, Understanding nor Technique documents mentions this scenario.

Resources:

audio description in "6. Glossary", WCAG 2.2

Note 2 In standard audio description, narration is added during existing pauses in dialogue.

Intent in Understanding SC 1.2.5: Audio Description (Prerecorded) (Level AA)

During existing pauses in dialogue, audio description provides information about actions, characters, scene changes, and on-screen text that are important and are not described or spoken in the main sound track.

Tests in Technique G173: Providing a version of a movie with audio descriptions

3. Check to see if gaps in dialogue are used to convey important information regarding visual content.

[patrickhlauke]

This is already being discussed/worked on in the WCAG 2.x backlog group ... see #1790 #4371 and various other bits that @mbgower and I have been trying to patch/address

[mitchellevan]

This question is valid. Individuals have commented on it, but I do not see a clear answer in WCAG content for this:

If a video has no pause in dialogue to provide audio descriptions, is the video considered to meet SC 1.2.3 / 1.2.5 Audio description?

Why this question matters

This is not a rare case. I often audit websites and apps containing videos with no pauses in dialogue. I was auditing one today. These videos tend to be marketing or instructional videos of 10 to 60 seconds duration. Common examples of important visual details are on-screen titles and product demonstrations.

Some relevant discussions

• From 2021: How to add audio descriptions to videos? #1768 (comment)
• 2025-03-29: Tweak understanding for 1.2.3 and 1.2.5 #1790 (comment) and responses
• 2025-04-08: Tweak understanding for 1.2.3 and 1.2.5 #1790 (comment)

Failure Technique 113

I'm not clear whether the new Failure Technique 113 in #4390 is relevant to the case of no pauses. It's called "Failure of Success Criterion 1.2.5 due to not using available pauses". It has the condition "Check that there are no remaining pauses", implying there must have been at least one usable pause as a precondition.

If Failure Technique 113 is relevant to the case of no pauses, then it's still only one possible failure; there could be other ways of failing 1.2.5. Which brings me to...

My answer to the question

My answer is no, it does not pass.

The definition of 'audio description' starts with "narration added to the soundtrack". I accept that this means additions only where they fit into pauses. However, in the case where there were no usable pauses to begin with, I can't see how the statement "audio description is provided" could evaluate to true, since no narration has been added.

Put another way: I agree with @awkawk's other comments distinguishing 'audio description' from 'extended audio description', but I do not agree with "it passes 1.2.3" in this comment about the no-pauses case: #1790 (comment)

[patrickhlauke]

I do not agree with "it passes 1.2.3" in this comment about the no-pauses case

as is probably clear from my PR/comments, for avoidance of doubt: yep, I don't agree with it either.

[GreggVan]

I think this is very clearly answered. it says you need to use pauses to include audio description. if you have only one pause and you use just that single one - you MEET the requirement (because you used them all). if you have no pauses - you have used them all (none)- and you MEET the requirement.

[patrickhlauke]

and that last point ... is the point of contention where there's disagreement... as per the lengthy discussions in the related issues

by definition, audio description is added to the pauses. if there are no (viable) pauses, there not enough space for audio descriptions. hence the requirement to provide audio description can't, and isn't, met