Audio and Video CC Requirements

Closed Captioning

 

Audio and video files need to be accompanied by complete and accurate transcripts and closed captioning that contain proper punctuation, capitalization, and word matching. Captions provide dialogue or a narrative and audio descriptions provide a non-verbal explanation of what’s happening on the screen.

ADA best practices require captions to be 99% accurate, which is approximately an error every two to three sentences.

Captions can be open captions, burned into the video that cannot be turned on or off, or closed captions, on-screen text that can be turned on or off.

Why do users need accessible closed captions?

  1. Closed captioning primarily assists the deaf and hard-of-hearing, and low or no-vision users. For example, when the captions are not accessible to a screen reader, the blind watcher cannot navigate to the caption, read it, spell the unclear words, or copy the text to make a note.
  2. Captions are also important and useful to understand content in a foreign language. For example, when an ESL speaker is practicing pronunciation or when listening to a conference in the French language.
  3. Videos with captions allow you to jump forward and back in the content based on the timestamp. Knowing exactly where you left of allows you to search for that particular section of the video.

Tips

  • Avoid using auto-generated or open captions, not sufficient for accessibility

Creating your own video

  • Utilize Studio in Canvas or YouTube
  • The studio provides 85% CC accuracy when captions are auto-generated, you can then edit for grammar and punctuation to improve compliance
  • YouTube Studio allows you to manage content and edit captions

Using someone else's video

  • Use third-party software for captioning (3CMedia or Amara - free for educators)
  • Request accurate closed captions from the video creator (YouTube or similar) by contacting them

Screen Reader Access

  • Captions are not read automatically by a screen reader, you need to provide video transcripts and how/where to access them

Live Video

  • When using Zoom, turn on live captioning
  • Speak clearly and face the camera (for those relying on lip reading)

Below are examples of screenshots indicating ADA video CC compliance.

Examples

Not ADA-compliant

Closed Captions are auto-generated and not edited for grammar and punctuation. These can contain errors causing misinterpretation and confusion, lack nuances, not follow action on the screen and more.

YouTube screenshot with auto-generated CC "question number one put up your hands if you would like to see your marks"

ADA-compliant

Closed Captions are edited for grammar and punctuation. The screen reader will follow the spoken word along with what's happening on the screen.

YouTube screenshot with CC edited for grammar and punctuation, "First, my attention span grew."

Resources:

Audio Content and Video Content Links to an external site..W3C.Updated November 29, 2021

Making Audio and Video Media Accessible Links to an external site..W3C.Updated November 29, 2021

The Importance of Captioning Links to an external site..AccessibilityOz. Posted in March 2020