Accessible media - Digital Accessibility

Videos, audio, and interactive content create engaging digital experiences by capturing attention and simplifying complex ideas. Multimedia assets–or what we’ll just refer to as “media”–enable unique ways of sharing information and connecting with others.

To ensure our content reaches everyone, it’s important to make it accessible. Accessible media goes beyond how people consume content—whether through sight, hearing, or touch. It also considers how they understand and interact with it.

This guide provides tips, practices, and resources to make your media inclusive.

The basics

Improving media accessibility often involves providing:

Captions: Text on videos showing spoken words and important sounds, synchronized with audio. Open captions are always visible, while closed captions can be toggled on or off.
Transcripts: Written version of all spoken words and sounds in audio or video.
Audio descriptions (AD): An audible narration that explains visual details in a video.

Your audience’s needs

Accessible media benefits a wide range of people.

Captions:

Provide equal access to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Assist people in noisy environments or spaces where having sound on isn’t appropriate.
Support non-native speakers or those who prefer to read along for better comprehension.

Transcripts:

Provide equal access for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Make it easier for anyone to search, reference, or skim through content.
Offer an alternative for those who prefer reading over listening.

Audio descriptions:

Enable people who are blind or have low vision to understand visual details in videos.
Help those in situations where watching a screen isn’t possible, like listening to a video while driving.
Enhance comprehension for anyone who benefits from detailed context.

SEO and AI benefits

Captions and transcripts help improve Search Engine Optimization (SEO) by making video content searchable and easier to find. They also make it easier for Artificial Intelligence (AI) to understand your content, which helps expand your audience and reach.

What accessibility features to add and when

Knowing which accessibility features to include depends on the type of media, its contents, and your audience’s needs.

When to add captions:

Include captions for videos with spoken dialogue or important sounds.
Make captions visible when the video is displayed in public spaces or at events.
Provide closed captions for online videos, giving users the choice to turn them on or off.

When to provide transcripts:

Include transcripts for all audio-only content, such as podcasts or interviews.
Add transcripts to video content to allow for easy reference, searchability, or offline access.
Offer transcripts for multimedia content when users may need an alternative to watching or listening.

When to include audio descriptions:

Add audio descriptions to videos with important visual elements that aren’t explained in dialogue (e.g., actions, settings, or charts).
Use audio descriptions for content that relies heavily on visuals to convey meaning.

Digital multimedia accessibility requirements

The following table outlines the accessibility features that are required, recommended, or optional for digital media, based on University’s Digital Accessibility Policy.

Accessibility Requirements for Different Media Types
Media Type	Captions	Transcript	Audio Description
Pre-recorded Multimedia	Required	Recommended	Required (Read note)
Pre-recorded Video-only	N/A	Recommended	Required (Read note)
Pre-recorded Audio-only	N/A	Required	N/A
Live Multimedia	Required	N/A	Optional
Live Video-only	N/A	Optional	Optional
Live Audio-only	Optional	Optional	N/A

Audio description note

Audio description is required if a video contains important visual details not conveyed in the audio, such as on-screen text or actions. For example, a speech video (“talking head”) doesn’t need audio description unless it includes text or gestures not described in the dialogue. Check out tips on how to plan for description of visual information.

Accessibility’s impact on the media production process

Making media accessible requires adjustments to your media production process.

Key impacts to consider include:

Early planning: Take steps to address accessibility from the start to make the process more efficient. Identify needs for captions, transcripts, and audio descriptions early–this will help you avoid delays and surprises later.
Extended timelines: Allocate extra time for tasks like captioning, transcription, and audio description during production.
Budgeting for accessibility: Plan for costs related to professional services, tools, or staff training needed to create accessible media content.

Working with suppliers

Partnering with suppliers can save time and ensure professional-quality accessible media.

Why it’s a good idea: Suppliers like 3PlayMedia and Rev specialize in captioning, transcription, and audio descriptions, providing fast, high-quality, and cost-effective services.
What to check: Some schools or departments may already have access to in-house transcription services, preferred suppliers, or established captioning agreements at discounted rates. Using these resources can save time, reduce costs, and streamline your workflow. If you are unsure who to ask, please contact our Digital Accessibility team.

Leveraging technology and meeting accuracy requirements

AI and Machine Learning (ML) are revolutionizing media accessibility by automating tasks like captioning, transcription, and voice generation.

Tools such as YouTube’s automatic captioning feature, Otter.ai, and Adobe’s video captioning can significantly reduce workload, saving time and simplifying the process. However, these tools still require human review to ensure accuracy and compliance with accessibility standards. Proofreading and editing are essential steps.

Automated tools work best for clear audio, such as videos with a single person speaking and minimal background noise.

The accuracy of automated tools decreases when:

There are multiple speakers talking at the same time
There’s excessive background noise
The speakers are using complex or specialized terms

Accessible multimedia production example workflow

Creating accessible multimedia content involves a structured workflow with specific skills at each stage:

Planning and production

Incorporate accessibility considerations during the initial stages to ensure all needs are addressed from the outset.

Skills needed: Knowledge of media accessibility requirements, scriptwriting, videography, and production planning.

Audio description development

Create an audio-described version of the video concurrently with the main production, if necessary, to provide accessibility for visually impaired audiences.

Skills needed: Scriptwriting for descriptions, narration recording, and video editing.

More about audio descriptions:

Audio description examples:

Frozen
Mastercard
Self-Driving Car Test: Steve Mahan
Sephora (play the last product video, look for the headphones icon on the player to turn on audio description (AD))
More examples from the American Council of the Blind

Caption creation

Generate closed captions for the video with captioning tools and edit for accuracy. Note that not all media players or platforms support closed captions. In such cases, opt for open (burned-in) captions, which are permanently embedded into the video.

Skills needed: Transcription, timing synchronization, and familiarity with captioning software.

Captioning tools and how-tos:

Best practices:

Descriptive transcript development

Use caption text to create transcripts that include both dialogue and descriptions of visual elements, enhancing accessibility for all users.

Skills needed: Transcription and attention to detail.

Inform users when accessibility features are not needed

If your video doesn’t require captions (e.g., no significant audio content) or descriptions (e.g., no important visual content), it’s helpful to let users know. Otherwise, they might assume these accessibility features were forgotten.

For captions, you can include a file that states something like “[background music].” Alternatively, provide a clear note alongside the video, such as:

“Captions not needed: The only sound in this video is background music.”
“Description not needed: The visuals in this video only support the spoken content and don’t provide additional information.”

Implementation in accessible media player

Ensure the final video is embedded in a media player that supports accessibility features. Accessible media players, such as Able Player, are designed to:

Support captions, transcripts, and audio descriptions
Allow full keyboard navigation
Make the keyboard focus indicator visible
Offer sufficient contrast
Include properly labeled controls for users relying on assistive technology

Unfortunately, many popular video players and platforms still offer limited support for accessibility–although they are improving.

Skills needed: Web development and/or knowledge of accessible media player integration.

Live media and events

Accessible live media and accessible on-line events ensure that everyone, regardless of their abilities, can fully participate and engage in real-time experiences. From live-streamed conferences to in-person gatherings, incorporating live captions, ASL interpreting, and inclusive design practices helps create an environment that values inclusivity and fosters equal access.

Check out the guidance on hosting accessible online events (docx), arranging ASL interpreting, or finding suppliers for real-time captioning or CART services provided by the Office of Disability Resources.

Zoom

Zoom offers accessibility features like automatically generated live transcripts and transcript-saving options. Meeting hosts are encouraged to enable these features to promote inclusivity.