Accessible Course Videos and Audio Files

One of the most commonly utilized types of content is video. Audio lectures, such as podcast episodes, are also growing in popularity. To make a video or audio file accessible, closed captions or transcripts must be provided; this is true whether you are locating content to use in your course or developing content on your own.

Locating Quality Video Resources

Quality in an instructional video includes clear audio and visual representation, accurate closed captions (which include descriptions of informative audio that is not spoken, such as if a ding, alarm, or cell phone is heard in the video and then referenced by the speaker), and alignment with the learning objective the video content is meant to support.

Creating Your Own Video Resources

It's also really easy to create your own images and course materials to use in an online course. The added benefit being, of course, that you can use these materials without fear of copyright infringement. When creating your own videos, the same captioning guidelines apply; the text must still be accurate and synchronized with the video using the captions. Captions can be either open (part of the video/always visible) or closed (can be turned on/off).

Transcripts alone are not considered compliant for meeting ADA accessibility guidelines. Instead, transcripts are recommended for audio files, if you are using podcast-style recordings in your course.

If you are creating and/or uploading videos using Panopto, this video below reviews how to Import Auto-Generated Captions into your course:

If you are using YouTube to host your videos, you can use their captioning service. Please be aware you will still need to edit your captions as the transcript will not be accurate.

If you add videos into the Rich Content Editor using the Media Recording/Upload feature native to Canvas, you can use the Amara service that is also available through Canvas.

Closed Caption and Transcription Assistance

If you have a long video in Panopto and you need help with generating closed captions, or you need help creating a transcript for an audio file, you can complete the Closed Caption Request form in the ID&D Support Center.

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