Media Alternative (Prerecorded)
An alternative for time-based media (a transcript that combines dialogue and visual description) is provided for prerecorded synchronized media.
What it requires
WCAG 2.0 SC 1.2.8 (AAA) requires a "media alternative" — a single text document that combines the dialogue and the visual narration. Deafblind users rely on this alternative because they cannot use the captions or the audio description.
A media alternative also has SEO and AEO value: search engines and LLMs index the full transcript, surfacing the video content in queries that pure-video embeds cannot answer.
Common Shopify failure
A 4-minute brand video with captions but no transcript page or expandable transcript section.
How to fix it
Publish a media-alternative transcript on the same page (collapsible <details>) or as a linked subpage. AccessComply flags videos missing a transcript.
Primary source: W3C — WCAG 2.0 Understanding 1.2.8