Accessibility techniques

As a broadcaster, you must provide television broadcasts with such technical aids that are intended to make programs accessible to people with disabilities. Below we briefly describe the techniques that the accessibility requirements cover.

Subtitling

Symbol for subtitled programme

Subtitling means that Swedish text that reproduce what is said in the programme is displayed in the picture, usually at the bottom of it. The accessibility requirements apply to television broadcasts in Swedish, and what is meant in this context is not translation subtitling, but subtitling of programmes that are in Swedish. Subtitles are mainly used by people who are deaf or have hearing impairments. It can also be useful for people who have Swedish as a second language or problems understanding the spoken language. Subtitling is also useful for people who are in an environment where they do not want to or cannot listen to the TV; on public transport, for example.

Sign language interpretation

Symbol Sign language

Sign language interpretation means that a sign language speaker translates the spoken language into sign language. Sign language interpretation is mainly used by deaf and people with hearing impairments who use sign language to communicate, but also by some people with various cognitive impairments.

It is important to distinguish between programmes produced in Swedish sign language (with sign language speakers) and programmes that are interpreted from spoken Swedish into Swedish sign language. “Sign language interpretation” refers to the latter.

Audio description

Symbol Audio description

Audio description is when an additional narrator describes what is seen and happening in the picture. Audio description is mainly used by people with visual impairments, but it can also be useful for people with cognitive impairments, for example.

Spoken text

Symbol Spoken text

Spoken text means that the text in the programme is read out, using both synthetic and human voices. Spoken text is used by people with visual impairments and people with reading and writing difficulties, for instance. This technology provides assistance for anyone who, for various reasons, has difficulty reading Swedish translation subtitles.

Spoken text is primarily intended for translation subtitling but is also useful in programmes in Swedish with burnt-in subtitles; for example, to clarify what is being said in a telephone conversation or when someone is speaking in a dialect.

Other services

Clearer speech

Clearer speech lowers the background noise in a programme and makes the voices in the programme more audible. The aim is to improve audibility for people with permanent or temporary hearing loss.