Janet Ingber
Hulu, launched in March 2008, is one of the older streaming services. When it started, the site was not accessible and I remember the frustration of trying to use it. Fortunately, accessibility has improved over the years Hulu began adding audio description in 2019.
Hulu has many TV shows and movies for people of all ages. It has some original content such as "The Handmaid's Tale," "Little Fires Everywhere," and "The United States vs. Billie Holiday."
The Hulu website is clearly labeled. You can watch Hulu via an app on your device or through the website.
Getting Help
Hulu's website does not provide information about how to get phone support. A Google search produced the phone number 888-265-6650. There is a Help heading on the home page. Choices there include: Account & Billing, Plans & Pricing, and Accessibility. The Accessibility link has information on audio description, screen readers, keyboard commands, and voice commands. According to the website, Hulu works with VoiceOver, JAWS, TalkBack, Audio Guide, and VoiceView. All major browsers are supported on the Hulu' website: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge.
Supported Devices
Hulu supports many devices, including: iOS phones and tablets running iOS 12 or later, and Android phones and tablets, most running Android 5.0 and above, with a screen size of at least 800 x 480 pixels.
I will be describing how to use Hulu on an iOS device. If you have any other device, I highly recommend Judy Dixon's book "Audio Description: What It Is, Where to Find It, and How to Use It." The book is published by National Braille Press and provides information on several streaming services, including Hulu.
Getting Started
Before you get started, you likely will want to review the various plans available for the service. Hulu's home page contains a great deal of information. The two fastest ways to navigate the page are by form controls or using the Up and Down Arrow keys. There are links and headings, but not many.
There is information about free trials on the Hulu home page. Select the plan you want and follow the prompts to sign up. The sign-up form is labeled and asks for the standard information. If you explore the edit boxes without entering text, VoiceOver will say, "Invalid data." The message goes away once you type text into the edit box.
If you are asked to check an edit box to prove you are not a robot, you will then need to use an audio CAPTCHA. The CAPTCHA audio is relatively clear compared to some other websites.
Hulu with iOS Devices
Hulu's page elements are clearly labeled. As you navigate the pages, you will hear VoiceOver frequently use the word, "button." However, the "forms" option is not available in the VoiceOver rotor.
Profiles
User profiles allow Hulu the ability to recommend content to you based on your interests. The profile will appear on all devices for your account. I created my profile on an iPhone X.
On the iPhone, open the Hulu App. At the bottom right of the Home screen is a Profile tab. Select this tab. Flick down to "add a new profile" and select it. Be aware that while creating your profile, you may need to flick backwards to get to all the controls. The first edit box is for entering a name. Next is a switch to watch only kid-friendly programs. By default, it is not activated. Finally, there are picker items to select your birth date. Next, select the Done button in the lower right corner. This will bring you back to the main profile screen. The next control is an edit box for gender. At the very bottom of the screen is an option to use a picker to enter gender. Above the picker is a Done button; Select it. Lastly, select the Create Profile button at the bottom left of the screen.
Once the profile is created, a new screen loads with a "Choose Interests" button. Selecting it brings up a list of possible interests where you are asked to select three or more from. Each category has examples. VoiceOver does give instructions on how to add interests.
On the next screen, you are asked to choose five or more movies and shows. At the bottom of the screen is a Finish button.
The Hulu App
There are four tabs at the bottom of Hulu's home screen: Home, My Stuff, Search, and Profile.
Home Tab
At the top of this screen are several buttons including All, TV, Movies, and Hubs. The All button will bring up a list of movies and TV shows it is featuring or make suggestions based on your profile. There is also a Keep Watching and a For You heading within this screen. The Keep Watching section has content you have started watching and the For You section has recommendations.
The TV and Movie buttons bring up a list of categories from which to choose. Once a category is selected, a list of movies or TV shows will be displayed.
The final selection option is Hubs. There are several options including Kids, Entertainment News, and Audio Description. Directly under the heading is a button labeled, "View More Audio Description." Below that button is a list of programs. Select the "View More Audio Description" button to check out more described content.
While going through results in any category, you will frequently encounter a "View more options" button. Selecting it brings up a screen where you can like, dislike, add to My Stuff, or share.
My Stuff
This is where content you want to watch in the future can be kept. At the top of the screen are several sorting buttons. They are TV Shows, Movies, Expiring, and Network. In the More Options section for this tab, you can remove unwanted items.
Search
This section has an edit box for entering your query. Results are below the edit box. There are two additional buttons: Trending Searches and Recent Searches. Selecting either of these buttons brings up a list of content that meets the selection criteria.
Profile
At the top of the Profile tab is a list of all profiles for the Hulu account. Select the one you want. There are additional categories below the profiles including Auto Play and Settings. Next is a button to open the Help Center.
Activating Audio Description
Once audio description is activated on your device, you should not need to re-activate it. If you have additional devices linked to your profile, audio description should synchronize with your other devices.
Begin the process of activating audio description by playing a TV show or movie. Next, go to the top of the screen and select Player. VoiceOver will tell you to double tap to toggle controls. Double tap and VoiceOver says, "Controls Shown." Next, flick right until you reach Settings. Select this option. The first heading is Audio. Flick right until you hear "English-Audio Description." Select it. Go to the left top corner and dismiss the Options menu.
Player controls are past the settings option. The player must be opened to display them.
Finding more Audio Description
The American Council of the Blind's Audio description Project is an excellent resource for finding described content. There are many ways to search their database. There is a link on the homepage for Hulu.
Conclusion
Hulu's accessibility has improved significantly since its initial release. There are many subscription options starting at $5.99 per month. The iOS App's screens contain a lot of information, but they are not cluttered. I recommend getting a free trial before purchasing a subscription.
This article is made possible in part by generous funding from the James H. and Alice Teubert Charitable Trust, Huntington, West Virginia.
Related Articles:
- Video Streaming Services, Part 1: Getting Started with Netflix for People with Visual Impairments by Janet Ingber
- Video Streaming Services, Part 2: Cutting the Cable Cord with YouTube TV by Steve Kelley
More by this author:
