Topics Map > Services > Teaching, Learning and Classrooms
Video Captions and Descriptions
What are Video Captions and Descriptions?
Video Captions
Captions are often referred to as subtitles. Captions are a text version of the spoken words, along with sounds that are important to the content, which is typically displayed below the video synchronized with the audio. Captions make the video content accessible to people who have hearing limitations, and more comprehensible to everyone.
Video Caption Example
Include short description of the video like ....In the video titled "How to Find Your Blackboard Courses in Original and Ultra," uploaded on July 22, 2024, viewers are guided through the steps to locate their courses on both the Original and Ultra course views in Blackboard. The tutorial provides clear instructions for navigating the platform, ensuring students can easily access their course materials, regardless of which interface they are using. This video is ideal for users seeking a straightforward method to find and manage their courses efficiently.
Video Descriptions
Descriptions are explanations of the content being shown in the video which is not described by the speaker. This usually includes complex drawings, graphics, and images. There are two approaches to this. As a speaker is sharing images the descriptions can be included in the audio explaining, in detail, what is being shown and why it is important. The audio narrative plays during the natural pauses in the video: (example of a described video).The other option is to provide a separate narrative (text and audio) describing the visual information. Video descriptions provide vital information to all learners when instructors are displaying complex information in a visual format. An example would be when recording while drawing on a tablet, the instructor describes every pen movement o provide a complete picture (via audio and text) of the content.
Benefits of Video Captions and Descriptions for Everyone
Captions provide an alternative to audio that helps all types of users, including:
- d/Deaf or hard of hearing
- English language learners
- Learning disabilities
- Visual or multi-modal learners
- Describes complex and important visuals
Additionally, they can also help users who are:
- Watching videos in noisy environment
- Deciphering unfamiliar accents
- Speech is going too fast, too quiet, or the speaker has an accent
- Students listening to content
- Students looking away from the screen to write notes while listening
- Students seated in the back of the lecture hall
- Those who benefit from seeing and hearing at the same time
- Provides an opportunity to highlight and explain visual aspects of a visual which may otherwise be missed or misunderstood
- Overall watchers and listeners will get more out of content
Captions and descriptions benefit a wide variety of users, but they can only do so if they are accurate. Many video platforms, including YuJa, provide automated captioning. While automatic captions can help cut down the time needed to provide accurate captioning, be aware that auto-captioning relies on machine-generated algorithms that are never 100% accurate.
Auto-captions must be accurate to be usable. Oftentimes, that requires manual editing.
Caption Guidelines
- Imagine that you can’t hear and include whatever sounds you need to understand the meaning of the video.
- Include all sounds, including stutters, pauses, etc. So, if a speaker pauses and makes a sound, you can use an “erm,” or a “hmmm” in the caption text.
- Include background sounds whenever necessary to understand the meaning of the video.
- Punctuation matters for clarity and context.
- Whenever possible, synchronize the caption with the action on the screen.
- Avoid overlapping voices.
- Have speakers talk at a normal pace, clearly articulating their words.
For help with specific products, please see the links below:
Additional Resources
- More learn more/how to’s at How to Make Materials Accessible
- Section508.gov – Create Accessible Captions and Transcripts
- Web Accessibility Initiative – Captions/Subtitles
- Web Accessibility Initiative – Description of Visual Information