Videos and Closed Captioning

This webpage outlines how to ensure videos linked or embedded on the Macon and Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University website or posted on an approved social media channel meet Level AA of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1.

To be accessible videos must

• Feature a text alternative (closed captions, description and/or text transcription).
• Be published through a platform that contains accessibility features (e.g. YouTube).

These features give users the ability to tab through the controls of the video player (e.g. play/pause, volume, full screen, etc.) and toggle closed captions on or off while the video is playing or access another text alternative (e.g. a text transcription).

Videos posted on third-party websites (e.g. other higher education institutions) can be hyperlinked for convenience and information. Brock Virginia Health Sciences is not responsible for the accessibility compliance of such videos.

Accessibility requirements

Videos with no audio

Live video-only content must provide a short text alternative to describe the purpose of the video.

Pre-recorded video with no audio requires an alternative, either with text describing the video or with audio describing the video.

Videos with audio

Any video that contains audio must be closed captioned.

Any event that is live streamed (e.g. meetings, events, grand rounds) must also have an option available for live captions. 

Creating closed captions

If you have a video that needs to be captioned, there are a handful of ways to create captions. There are a handful of platforms available at EVMS that can automatically add captions to recorded and live videos.

Live and automatic captions

Auto-captions for recorded videos often result in text that does not accurately match what is said in the video. These captions must be reviewed and edited for accuracy before the video is published online or disseminated via electronic communication.

Live captions are highly recommended to make events and meetings accessible. 

Official YouTube channel

Videos be published through the official Macon and Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University YouTube channel can be embedded using T4 content types.

Reach out to Marketing and Communications at news@evms.edu to request a video. If you have a video recording, make sure to include a captioning file (if possible) prior to submitting a video to be uploaded to YouTube. 

Zoom

Zoom has features to enable live captioning as an option for meeting attendees. This includes a full text transcript of meetings, which can be used to create closed captions in YouTube.

Visit Zoom's support website to learn more.

Third-party services

Services like Rev and 3PlayMedia can caption videos for varying rates and turnaround times.

While this approach is helpful in time-sensitive situations, it can prove costly depending on the video length and the number of videos needing to be captioned.

Scripting

Writing a script – and sticking to it – is one of the easiest ways to generate accurate captions. Going off of a script can make it easier edit auto captions.

3PlayMedia has a comprehensive breakdown of closed caption documents, the different formats and elements of a caption file.

WCAG Success Criteria

• 1.1.1 Non-text content: All non-text content that is presented to the user has a text alternative that serves the equivalent purpose. (Level A)
• 1.2.1 Audio-only and Video-only (Prerecorded): For prerecorded audio-only and prerecorded video-only media, the following are true, except when the audio or video is a media alternative for text and is clearly labeled as such. (Level A)
  
  • Prerecorded Video-only: Either an alternative for time-based media or an audio track is provided that presents equivalent information for prerecorded video-only content.
• 1.2.2 Captions (Prerecorded): Captions are provided for all prerecorded audio content in synchronized media, except when the media is a media alternative for text and is clearly labeled as such. (Level A)
• 1.2.3 Audio Description or Media Alternative (Prerecorded): An alternative for time-based media or audio description of the prerecorded video content is provided for synchronized media, except when the media is a media alternative for text and is clearly labeled as such. (Level A)
• 1.2.4 Captions (Live): Captions are provided for all live audio content in synchronized media. (Level AA)
• 1.2.5 Audio Description (Prerecorded): Audio description is provided for all prerecorded video content in synchronized media. (Level AA)