Videos (Captioning & Audio)
Why Captions are Important
When incorporating videos, it is important to recognize that there will be users who may not be able to access all aspects of the video, such as audio. We must implement accessibility measures to ensure that people of all abilities can fully understand and engage with the video.
Captions, otherwise known as subtitles, provide content to people who are deaf and hard-of-hearing. Captions are a text version of speech and non-speech audio information needed to understand the content. They are displayed within the media player and synchronized with the audio. Captions can either be closed, meaning that the user can choose whether to show or hide the captions, or open, which are always displayed and cannot be turned off.
Live videos also require captions, which are usually done by professional real-time captioners or Communication Access Realtime translation (CART) providers. Live captions can be done in-person or remotely. If a recording of the live video is posted, the captions should be reviewed and edited to maintain accuracy.
Many video-sharing platforms offer the capability to automatically generate captions. However, these captions usually require extensive review and editing to maintain accuracy. Automatic captions can be used as a starting point for developing accurate captions and transcripts.
Implementing Accessible Captions
Captions are text alternatives to time-based media that allow people who do not have access to sound to engage with video and audio content. They are required for all prerecorded and live media on the CPP website and can come in the following formats:
- Closed captioning - captions that can be turned off and on by the user.
- Open captioning - captions that remain on screen and cannot be turned off.
Captions support individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, have cognitive disabilities, are non-native speakers, prefer text-based information, or are in environments with poor audio quality. Captioning requests can be submitted through MediaVision’s Captioning Service.
Audio description adds spoken narration of key visuals, enabling understanding of video content without relying on sight. It is required for prerecorded media when visual information is essential to comprehension. Options include:
- Standard audio description – a separate audio track that includes descriptions of key visual details.
- Integrated (built-in) audio description – descriptions that are included directly in the main audio track.
Audio description supports individuals who are blind, have low vision, or have difficulty interpreting visual content. It provides context for actions, scene changes, and on-screen text. When captions already convey essential visual details, additional audio description is not required.
If a video is present on a website, verify that:
- Captions are present in the video
- The captions are in sync with the video