LinkedIn is upgrading video content with automatically generated captions and adding several new features to assist people with accessibility needs.
With automatic captions, LinkedIn aims to make videos more accessible to those who are deaf, hard of hearing, or prefer to watch videos with the sound off.
LinkedIn will automatically add captions to videos during the upload process, which you can choose to implement immediately or review and edit for accuracy.
Additionally, LinkedIn is rolling out a high contrast mode to the mobile app, which will adjust colors to improve accessibility for people with visual disabilities.
Screenshot from: www.linkedin.com/pulse/driving-more-equitable-workforce-enhanced-tools-resources-berger/, October 2022.New Features For Job Postings & User Profiles
In honor of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, LinkedIn is introducing several accessibility-focused enhancements to job postings and user profiles.
Accessibility Job Titles
LinkedIn reports there’s a significant increase in the total annual number of U.S. job postings with the word “accessibility” in the job title, indicating a growing demand for accessibility specialists:
“… our data shows that these job postings have spiked 171% since September 2019, indicating that companies are actively not only talking about this, but taking action to hire accessibility specialists that can help them create products and services that work for everyone.”
Now, LinkedIn users who work in the accessibility industry can choose a standardized title such as “accessibility designer,” “chief accessibility officer,” or “accessibility engineer.”
LinkedIn says the use of standardized job titles can help workers get discovered and recruited for positions that match their skills.
New ‘Dyslexic Thinking’ Skill For Profiles
LinkedIn is partnering with Richard Branson and Made By Dyslexia to launch Dyslexic Thinking, a recognized skill users can add to their profiles.
“Through our research, we learned that dyslexic thinkers are often able to simplify complex products or tasks and see connections that others may miss. This example showcases that disability can also be viewed as a strength and meaningful differentiator.”
Alt Text For Ads
Advertisers can now add text descriptions to image ads with the addition of alternative text (alt-text) in Campaign Manager.
Alt text allows blind or visually impaired individuals to understand the imagery presented in an ad.
New LinkedIn Learning Course
A new course in the LinkedIn Learning library can help people build skills in the accessibility field.
The Practical Accessibility for Designers course by instructor Chimmy Kalu teaches you how to design and build accessible experiences on the web.
Availability
Automatic captions on videos are rolling out in the coming weeks, and alt text for ads is coming “soon.” All other features listed in this article are available now.
Source: LinkedIn
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