Video Captioning Options
Introduction
There are several different services available for captioning videos to comply with Web and IT Accessibility Guidelines and Procedures. Benefits that occur when accurately captioning visual content include an increase comprehension of content, improved Search Engine Optimization (SEO), and a remedy for situational or temporarily unavailable audio.
Instructors with an immediate need to provide accessible video or audio media files to a student should contact the Office of Disability Support Services, Email:[email protected] (248) 370-3268, 103A North Foundation Hall, or visit their website. Instructors are encouraged to make accessible media available to all students in a course if an accessible solution is provided to one student. Faculty members without an immediate student need but wanting to bring files into compliance are encouraged to evaluate one of the free solutions.
Videos intended for a public audience should be reviewed with Communications and Marketing. Communications and Marketing will assist with options.
Web multimedia should include both synchronized captions and a descriptive transcript. To choose the best option, consider the options below:
Screen reader supported format
Video Captioning Options |
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You Tube |
Google Drive |
Camtasia |
Panopto |
Verbit |
3Play Media |
Use Case |
Ideal when not all of your content is scripted, and when creating department marketing materials. Work with Communications and Marketing to ensure Brand Guidelines have been met. |
Ideal when you need to transcribe a video as you record it. This will tool will produce a transcript you can upload to the tool producing the video. |
Ideal when creating internal and public facing help tutorials and supplementary academic content. |
If using Panopto for class recordings, the Panopto captioning should be enabled. |
Ideal for short turn around time. Verbit is a 3rd party transcription and captioning service that specializes in Higher Education content. Transcribing is double checked by a human reviewer before client receives completed work. |
Ideal for for highly technical or specialized academic content supporting diverse speakers, various accents and dialects. 3Play Media is a third party transcription & captioning service. |
Benefit |
There are 3 ways to achieve captioning depending on the transcripts you have: 1. Type the text in as you watch the video; Both the timecode and text as captions will be added. Upload a transcript (without time code). 2. Youtube will parse the transcript and add timecode. 3. If the captions already exist, the editor can edit any remaining errors. |
Google Drive has a feature within Google Docs and Google Slides called Voice Typing. It is only useful for a few lines that need to be captioned at a time and most helpful for Youtube videos. |
Software allows you to "Copy" and "Paste" a script to create captions. |
Panopto has automatic captioning available. |
Upload your video and audio files to the vendor. You can monitor the status, download captions/transcripts, and edit captions after they have been processed. |
Upload your video and audio files to the vendor. You can monitor the status, download captions/transcripts, and edit captions after they have been processed. |
Ownership |
End User is required to use tools to create and edit content |
End User is required to use tools to create and edit content |
End User is required to use tools to create and edit content |
End User is required to use tools to create and edit content |
Paid service vendor will complete for a fee. Minimum 8 hour turnaround or 5 business days |
Paid service vendor will complete for a fee- minimum 2 hour to 5 day turn around time |
Cost |
Free |
Free |
Requires a Department purchase for each user license. |
Panopto is a campus solution |
You will be required to login (upper right) to view pricing. Pricing information can be found here |
You will be required to login (upper right) to view pricing. Pricing information can be found here |
Toolkits and resources |
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Additional Information |
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Reference Material from Other Universities
WebAIM - Utah State University - Captions, Transcripts, and Audio Descriptions
Eastern Michigan University - Creating Accessible Resources
Michigan State University - A Guide For Captioning Video
Penn State Captioning Guidelines and Policy
University of Iowa - Captioning and Transcription
University of Michigan - Captioning
University of Washington - Creating Accessible Videos
Screen reader supported format
June 2018