Video and Captions

Audio and Video Recordings

When using media in the classroom, at an event, or as part of other WVU programming, it is necessary to ensure accessibility. For more information, see The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) for time-based media.

What are my options for making recorded video accessible?

Recorded videos uploaded to WVU webpages, social media, and learning platforms (e.g., Blackboard, SOLE, TWEN, etc.), must be made accessible. There are two primary ways to make videos accessible: captioning and audio description.

Closed Captions

This is what you normally think of when you think of captions or subtitles—a verbatim textual representation of all spoken dialogue, music, sound effects, and other audio cues in a pre-recorded video. These captions are synchronized with the audio and usually appear at the bottom of the screen. They can be turned on or off by clicking a button and are generally favored over open captions. Closed Captions will meet your needs in most cases.

Open Captions are the same as closed captioning, except that these captions are permanently burnt into the video and cannot be turned off. These are only necessary when you plan to host or show the video on a platform that does not support closed captioning.

Audio Description

Audio description is a narrated track that runs concurrently with the video, describing key visual elements. This makes the video content more accessible for individuals with disabilities, including individuals who are Blind.

What are my options for making audio files accessible?

When there is no visual element, a transcript may be provided. Audio recordings, podcasts, and other pre-recorded media that do not have meaningful video associated with it should be accompanied by an appropriate verbatim transcript.

Verbatim Transcripts

This is a verbatim record of all spoken content in an audio-only file or de facto audio file (see below). This text is offered alongside the audio as a supplementary resource, following standard English conventions. It is typically not synchronized with the audio because there is no link between the visual content and audio content.

“De Facto Audio”: This is a video where the visual content is unimportant. In other words, there is no meaningful link between the image and the audio content (e.g., a video with a black screen, a static image, etc.). If someone were to only listen to the audio, they would receive the same information as someone who watched the video.

For example, if you video yourself sitting at your desk, speaking, with no other visual elements, that is essentially no different from an audio file, and it does not require closed captioning (i.e., a transcript will suffice). However, if you are demonstrating a procedure, showing images as you speak, using a PowerPoint, etc., then that would require captioning.

What if I am linking to someone else’s video/audio?

You are responsible for any media you post or show online, even if you did not create that media. This includes linked or embedded third-party videos, podcasts, etc.

If you do not own the rights to a video, it can be impossible to make it accessible. Hence, we strongly encourage faculty and staff not to utilize third-party videos that do not already have professional captions in place. Instead, we recommend creating your own video content or providing the information through a different medium, whenever possible.

Faculty are encouraged to be especially mindful when using videos that come with textbook supplements and other teaching materials. These materials often do not go through the formal University Procurement process and are notorious for being inaccessible. Because the media associated with these products is often embedded in the product itself, it can be impossible for anyone other than the publisher/vendor to generate captions. Faculty are encouraged to review these materials carefully before using them in the classroom and should avoid using inaccessible media that is packaged with course textbooks.

You may reach out to the publisher/vendor to request that they provide an accessible version of any media, but publishers/vendors often do not respond to these requests, and the remediation process can be very slow.

How can I design my own videos so that they are more accessible from the start?

Privilege quality

For starters, make sure that the audio quality is high. This will not only provide a better listening experience, but it will also make the video easier to caption later, if necessary.

Work from a script

Consider using a script in your videos. Not only will it result in less dysfluency (which makes it easier to understand), but that script can be used to generate accurate captions in less time.

Avoid the need for audio description

There are times a video intentionally or unintentionally uses visual content to convey meaning without duplicating that meaning in the audio. Consider some of these examples:

• An instructor draws a mathematical curve on the whiteboard in a video. The instructor gestures to the curve and says, “You can see the shape of this curve here.”
• A therapy video is shown. At the beginning of the video, a graphic describes the case.
• A TEDx talk shows the speaker performing mime and dance moves that convey meaning in their talk.
• A clip is shown from the latest Marvel Superhero action film. It’s the big battle scene where everyone is flying around and fighting each other. While the heroes and villains may throw out some lines, their speech does not describe their literal action.

In these examples, a person who is Blind or low vision may not be able to see the visual elements in the video or fully understand the context of the spoken audio.

Audio description files provide a running description of the imagery and action taking place that is impossible to ascertain through audio alone. In certain cases, the audio description inserts narration into natural pauses in dialogue. However, sometimes, like the Marvel movie example above, the action may be so dense that the audio description file will actually pause the original movie to explain the visual content.

While needing a full audio description file for an educational video is rare, it does happen. Because of the complexity of creating audio descriptions, this process can be very expensive.

As such, you should take steps to avoid the need for audio description whenever possible.

Here are some tips to avoid needing audio description for videos you create, as identified by Harvard University:

• Have your subjects identify themselves and their surroundings within the script itself. Avoid using text on screen as the sole means of conveying information.
• If there are title cards or text visible on screen, include those words in the script or audio.
• If there is dense content in the video, such as data tables or visualizations, consider making accessible versions of that content available separately.

If you record video using PowerPoint, Google Slides, etc., make sure you verbally describe each slide in full. Thinking back to the whiteboard example, make a habit of describing your actions in detail. This will eliminate the need for audio description.

You may also provide visual information separately. In the example above, where supplemental details about the therapy case were provided in on-screen text but not spoken, you could easily provide a Word document containing that information, along with the video. This is another reason to place your video content in eCampus where you can provide supplemental resources.

Because of the complexity involved with generating audio description files, the university does not have an office where you can have an audio description added to your videos. If you need audio description, the Office of Student Accommodations can provide a list of reputable vendors. Audio description costs would need to be covered by the unit or department using the video, except in cases where a student registered with OSA requests audio description as part of their authorized academic accommodations.

How do I know if existing captions are sufficient?

While many content creators won’t make captions from scratch, it’s essential that you be able to identify whether a video has proper closed captions. We recommend following the Office of Student Accommodations Closed Captioning Quality Guidelines to ensure that captions meet the standards necessary for your audience.

For an institution of higher learning, it is essential that captions be accurate, correctly timed, and formatted in a way that is clear and easy to read. YouTube is an excellent site to host videos. It’s free, students are comfortable with YouTube, and eCampus can easily embed the videos.

However, if you’ve ever turned on closed captions for a YouTube video with auto captions, you know that the results are low quality, often omitting punctuation, failing to identify speakers, and creating arbitrary line breaks, all of which can make it difficult for individuals with disabilities to accurately parse information. This is true of many automated and machine-generated captions that claim to be highly accurate but do not meet the standards necessary to provide equal access in higher education.

If you are unsure whether existing captions meet the necessary standards, please contact us and include the media link. We will be happy to provide you with a free consultation.

How do I get my video captioned?

When creating media, it is important to give yourself enough time to ensure that the final video will be accessible. It is always a good idea to speak with your college or department to see if they have individuals who can help you make your content more accessible. In general, there are a number of ways to create accessible media:

Reach out to the Office of Student Accommodations Captioning Unit

The Office of Student Accommodations offers custom video captioning to members of the WVU community at no cost. This service is offered first-come-first-served and according to availability, and custom captioning requests are prioritized after requests for students who are authorized to receive captioning as an accommodation. OSA does not guarantee specific turnaround dates and may not always be the fastest option available.

Create your own captions

Content creators can caption their own media when hosting it on YouTube by uploading their script as a .TXT document in the subtitles section of the YouTube content studio. Please be aware, you may need to do some editing to the timing of the caption lines.

Edit automated captions

Content creators can allow YouTube to create auto-captions and then go in and correct them for accuracy, though this may be a time-consuming process.

Hire a reputable captioning vendor

There are many vendors out there who will provide caption files for a price. If you need help locating a reputable outside vendor, please contact us. When budgeting for your digital content, please factor in the costs of using any third-party vendors.

Do I still need to respond to captioning emails from OSA?

Yes. The Office of Student Accommodations reaches out to faculty when there has been a request by a student who is authorized to receive closed captioning as a formal accommodation. In these cases, the Office of Student Accommodations must vet all video content to ensure that it meets the captioning standards necessary for effective accommodation under the law. If your videos are already captioned, then OSA will inform you that they are accessible. If not, they will create a professionally captioned version of the video for you, free of charge.

What if my media is HIPAA protected?

HIPPA protected content must have a release before it is used in the classroom. However, even with a release for educational uses, it cannot be posted on social media or other non-HIPAA-compliant platforms, and it should not be transferred via email or other insecure digital means. We recommend you reach out to us to discuss your options when using protected material.

When should I start making my media content accessible?

Captioning can be a slow and time-consuming process, so we recommend that you begin working to make your recorded media accessible at least one month before you plan to use it in order to provide yourself with enough time.

Ideally, all media should be made accessible before it is posted online. However, there may be times when media is available online while it is in the process of being made accessible. If you have secured a vendor and have submitted your media to have it captioned/transcribed, we suggest including the following language in the media description and/or on the webpage:

This video/audio is currently being professionally captioned/transcribed. YouTube auto-captioning is currently in place; however, if you need access to a professionally captioned version sooner, please notify <Name of your department Point Person>.

Live Events

What are my options for making livestreamed events accessible?

Livestreams hosted on a WVU webpage, social media account, or learning platform must be broadcast with Live Captioning in place.

In certain cases, Sign Language Interpreting may also be required for individuals who are attending the event if it is simultaneously offered in-person, offline.

It is advisable to plan ahead and secure services well in advance of live events, as vendor schedule can fill up quickly.

Live Captions

This is what you normally think of when you think of broadcast captioning—verbatim real-time speech-to-text, which includes all spoken dialogue, music, sound effects, and other audio cues in a livestream or during a live broadcast. Often referred to as CART, this form of captioning differs from closed captioning in that it is created live. As such, there may be a slight lag between the audio and the captioning. Live Captioning will fit your needs in most cases when livestreaming a scripted events, performance, speech. It is also recommended for high-risk contexts (e.g., medical meetings or legal proceedings) where every word has been carefully delivered.

Live Transcribing is real-time speech-to-text used to accommodate students at WVU who are Deaf and hard of hearing. Transcribing accurately retains the full meaning of the speaker’s message, including any specialized terminology and matching the speaker’s formality and tone; however, it is not verbatim as it often eliminates dysfluencies, unintended repetition, and unnecessary filler common in off-the-cuff speaking, all of which can make it hard for a person to parse meaning in written form. This accommodation is often ideal for unscripted events, such as classes, workshops, meetings, and other contexts where the delivery of the message is unscripted. Sign language interpreting is not required on pre-recorded videos or during livestreamed events if captioning is in place.

Sign Language Interpreting is a service that facilitates live communication between individuals who do not share the same language by rendering messages from spoken English into American Sign Language, and vice versa. Sign Language Interpreting can be provided by request from in-persona attendees at live public events, as long as instructions for requesting this service have been made readily available on the event website and in outgoing correspondence. These instructions should not be relegated to the “fine print,” and it is recommended that this information be provided to potential participants at least ten days prior to the scheduled event. Sign language interpreting is not required on pre-recorded videos or during livestreamed events if captioning is in place. However, some creators may wish to make their digital content more accessible by providing interpreting, especially if the content touches on important matters, such as public safety.

What if I play a video at a live event?

Pre-recorded videos shown during a public event on WVU’s campuses must be shown with appropriate Closed Captions in place. Recorded video captions cannot be limited to “on demand” or “by request.” This remains true even if guests are required to register for the event in advance.

If an event is recorded live and the video is posted online at a later date, it must have appropriate Closed Captions.

How should I advertise accessibility to the public?

Livestreamed events should be shown with Live Captions in place. We suggest simply indicating that live captioning will be in place when advertising the event, and we recommend that you inform individuals at the start of the event by providing basic instructions on how to turn on the captions.

If the event is also offered in person/offline, services such as ASL Interpreting and Live Transcribing may be provided by request. Instructions about how to request these services must be readily available on the event website and in outgoing correspondence and may not be relegated to the “fine print.”

When promoting on-campus events, we suggest including the following language, which can be used in outgoing correspondence and posted prominently on WVU webpages to inform guests in need of accommodation:

Sign Language Interpreting and Transcribing Services are available by request for participants who are Deaf or hard of hearing. To request an Interpreter or Transcriber, please contact <Name of your department Point Person> at least one week prior to this event.

This information should be made available to potential participants at least ten days prior to the scheduled start of the event.

The department or unit should not ask guests to identify their disability or inquire about the nature of their disability. Departments may include a simple yes or no question on registration forms asking if guests wish to request disability accommodations, or they may refer these Disability requests to the WVU ADA Coordinator’s office.

Who pays for these services?

If a student registered with the Office of Student Accommodations requests services as part of an authorized accommodation, OSA will provide services free of charge as part of that student’s academic accommodations. Typically, students will reach out to OSA directly, but if you receive a request from a student in your class who has been authorized for accommodations, please contact OSA.

For all other requests, individual departments or units are responsible for arranging services for the public and paying the costs associated with provision of those services. By law, the individual requesting services is never responsible for paying the cost associated with those services.