Shifting the Focus: Exploring Video Accessibility Strategies and Challenges for People with ADHD

Despite the growth of video as a medium, videos remain inaccessible to many people. Prior video accessibility research has focused primarily on blind and low vision or d/Deaf and hard of hearing audiences. However, the video watching experiences of people with ADHD are largely unexplored. Through semi-structured interviews with 20 participants self-identifying with ADHD, we uncovered video watching frustrations, current strategies for access, and desired accessibility features. Participants faced both overstimulation and understimulation from visuals and audio (e.g., flashing lights, slower speech), which impacted their attention, engagement, and information retention. Common strategies included altering video speed, using captions, and leveraging timestamps for skipping through videos. Participants desired adjustable sound channels for aiding focus, video summaries for retaining information, and warnings for preempting sensory discomfort. We close by discussing (1) design recommendations for platforms and creators to support users in achieving their viewing goals and (2) ADHD-inclusive design principles.