accessMode

Definition

An access mode through which the intellectual content of a described resource or adaptation is communicated (i.e., the human sensory perceptual system or cognitive faculty through which a person may process or perceive information).

Examples

Example 1 — EPUB 3

<meta property="schema:accessMode">textual</meta>
<meta property="schema:accessMode">visual</meta>

Example 2 — EPUB 2

<meta name="schema:accessMode" content="textual"/>
<meta name="schema:accessMode" content="visual"/>

Example 3 — Audiobooks

"accessMode": ["textual", "visual"]

Example 4 — HTML with RDFa

<meta property="accessMode" content="textual"/>
<meta property="accessMode" content="visual"/>

Example 5 — HTML with microdata

<meta itemprop="accessMode" content="textual"/>
<meta itemprop="accessMode" content="visual"/>

Values

The access mode values identify the default nature of the content. Images and video are visual content, for example. Video clips also typically have audio, so have an auditory mode (as do audio clips). Text content is textual.

Adaptations are not identified using this property, as they are not the primary way that the content is consumed. If adaptations, such as extended descriptions, are provided for the primary content, they are used in determining the sufficient access modes.

Note

Unless the metadata format used supports lists (e.g., JSON-LD), use a separate property declaration for each access mode. Do not merge the values into a single property using spaces, commas, or other delimiters.

The following values are recommended for this property:

auditory

The auditory value is used to indicate that there is an auditory component to the content (e.g., audio tracks on their own or as part of a video, or an audiobook).

The auditory value does not have to be set if the audio does not include information necessary to understand the content (e.g., background noises in an interactive game or mood music).

tactile

The tactile value is used to indicate that a publication contains tactile content (e.g., braille-formatted text or tactile images or objects).

This value is typically not applicable outside of accessible republishing.

The value is not used to indicate that text content can be converted to tactile (e.g., using a refreshable braille display).

textual

The textual value is used to indicate that a publication contains text content.

This value is the most commonly used for digital publications, as most pubications contain at least some text content.

If a publication contains images of text, the visual access mode is also set (or set instead, if the publication only contains images of text). If, however, an image format allows the text content to be retained in text form (e.g., SVG), the textual value is also specified.

visual

The visual value is used to indicate that a publication contains visual content such as images, grapics and video.

This value is not set if the visual content does not contain any information necessary to understanding the content (e.g., decorative images).