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Video and Audio

Video and audio content may require more effort to be made fully accessible.

For videos, ensure manual captions are included. Avoid autogenerated captions such as on YouTube as they are often inaccurate and do not provide proper punctuation. If a video or multimedia element contains text with music but no speaking audio, such as a slideshow or text-based presentation, an alternate text source is required.

For audio-only sources such as a podcast or lecture recording, provide a text transcript. The transcript does not have to be word for word so long as the equivalent context is provided.

Best Practices for Using Multimedia

  • Utilize file types that will be accessible on various devices (e.g., mobile, Mac OS, Windows OS).
    • For videos, the recommended file types are MP4, MOV, or AVI.
    • For audio, the recommended file type is MP3.
    • Videos created with Flash (SWF files) are no longer accessible as most modern devices cannot access them. Use a SWF video converter such as Swivel to convert any SWF files into an accessible format.
  • Embedding multimedia in digital content is more effective than sharing a link to the file.
  • Utilize multimedia that provides player controls (e.g., pause, go back to previous content, different playback speeds, make content full screen).
  • Provide accurate closed captions for videos using sidecar files.
    • The goal of multimedia captions is to make content easily readable and timed for comprehension when audio content cannot be heard.
    • Avoid open, or embedded, captions that cannot be modified or turned on or off by the viewer.
    • Always use VTT files when given the option between VTT and SRT options.
      • Both SRT and VTT caption files will align text in sequential order based on timecode. However, VTT files contain embedded information like font, color, and placement, offering a more accessible experience for the viewer.
      • VTT files can have viewer preferences stored on their operating system or browser, so when a video with that caption file is played it automatically adjusts to the viewer’s preferred settings.
    • Avoid open, or embedded, captions that cannot be modified or turned on or off by the viewer.
  • Provide accurate transcripts for podcasts or audio files.
  • Provide audio descriptions to describe visual elements on-screen that are not noted or referenced in a video’s dialogue or narration.
  • Enable automated captions in live two-way communication platforms like Zoom for real-time closed captions.
  • Provide manually generated captions in one-way live broadcasts and webinars.

Captioning & Transcript Resources

For UCF Faculty

There are many tools and options when it comes to creating captions or transcripts for your online course. You may need to experiment to see which tool works best for you. This video will briefly overview the different tools available, including ClipChamp, YouTube, Adobe Premiere, and Otter.ai.