Captions
Captions can be used widely and are useful as a general accessibility feature overall. Additionally, for students with reasonable accommodations for video or audio accessibility resources, providing these tools is necessary and should include all video and audio experiences your course or experience offers. In situations like this, a proactive approach to ensuring that materials are accessible is highly recommended. Faculty and staff can refer to this list when they are preparing course materials or when they are preparing for campus events that utilize multimedia experiences.
The following information details types of captioning and recording options available to creators of content.
Transcription
Transcripts are text versions of the speech and non-speech audio information. Ideally, a descriptive transcript also includes text description of the visual information. Descriptive transcripts are required to provide video content to people who are both Deaf and blind (descriptive transcript excerpt example).
Audio Descriptions (AD)
Audio description (also referred to as “description” or “video description”) is defined as “the verbal depiction of key visual elements in media and live productions.” AD is meant to provide information on visual content that is considered essential to the comprehension of the program. In these cases, not providing AD would inhibit blind and visually impaired individuals from gaining a complete understanding of the given program. For example, one could imagine how difficult it would be to understand a comedic presentation that relies upon physical humor without a description of the physical actions taking place for someone who is blind or low vision.
Ways to Add Closed Captions to Pre-Existing Media Files (for Free!)
Media streaming platforms like Youtube or Vimeo offer easy and free closed captioning tools for media that needs to be captioned. The processing times for captioning on these platforms can vary depending on the length of the video file.
Similarly, Canvas, Olin’s current Learning Management System (LMS), has captioning capabilities for videos that are either uploaded or link sourced in Canvas Studio that can provide an 85% accuracy rate.
Canvas has knowledgebase resources to regarding adding captions using canvas studio. Please go to the External Resource section below for the link to this resource.
While these options may be able to provide quick captioning, the accuracy of the captions can vary. This is why it is important to upload videos in a timely manner, so that captions have enough time to process and can be checked for accuracy. Instructions for downloading your videos to these different streaming options are available through the links listed below.
3PlayMedia Captioning Service (Rush Delivery Only)
Disability Services at Olin, in partnership with 3PlayMedia, can now offer quick turnaround for both live captioning services and for adding captions to an existing video for those courses impacted by an accommodation need for captioning. This is a limited resource so if you think you need this, please reach out to disability.services@olin.edu so that we can support your captioning needs. 3PlayMedia has the ability to caption quickly and at a 99.6% accuracy rate.
Please note that while 3PlayMedia offers fast and reliable captioning service, the minimum time needed on a rush delivery is 2 hours. Historically, 3PlayMedia has met 99% of 24-hour, 48-hour and 4-day turnaround times. While they can achieve a fast turnaround, the more time the better for everyone.
Captioning Live/Community-Wide Events or Presentations
When planning a presentation, it is important to consider accessibility features for those who may need it. Many applications can now auto-generate captions on videos, but they are not perfect transcripts and should always be reviewed before publishing the recording after the event.
Zoom has support resources available regarding captions and other accessible features. All Olin community members have the prerequisite admin privileges to add captions. Please go to the External Resource section below for the link to this resource.
Microsoft Teams has support resources available regarding captions and other accessible features. Please note that in a live meeting, Teams will not save captions. In order to access a transcript from a meeting, you must turn on transcripts within the meeting settings. Please go to the External Resource section below for the link to this resource.
3PlayMedia can also supply 99.6% accurate live captions for planned events. In addition, you may submit a “words list” to 3PlayMedia to provide even more accuracy. 3PlayMedia can seamlessly integrate with applications like Zoom and Teams. If you are interested in including this service in your next broadcast or live event please email disability.services@olin.edu. At least 7 days notice is necessary for this type of captioning service.