Make Video and Audio Recordings Accessible
Updated regulations for Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) require public institutions, like JMU, to provide equal access to services, programs, and activities including websites, course materials, and other digital resources. This regulation change means that most online resources from JMU will need to meet basic digital accessibility standards by April 24, 2026. These standards align with version 2.1 of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1), the internationally recognized best practices for digital accessibility. JMU’s approach — outlined in a new Digital Accessibility website — treats our Title II support as an ongoing collaboration aimed at expanding access to information and education.
Captioning and transcribing video and audio recordings is essential for compliance with ADA Title II.
JMU Libraries is here to help you learn the differences between captions, transcripts, and audio descriptions, and find strategies for integrating accessible engagement in pre-recorded media such as presentations, classroom recordings, and podcasts. Ensuring accessibility in video and audio content significantly enhances user engagement and is essential for compliance with ADA Title II.
Captions, transcripts, and audio descriptions explained:
Transcription is the process by which speech or audio is converted into written text, known as a transcript.
Captions, on the other hand, takes the transcripts and attaches time frames to the text and synchronizing them with the audio of a video. Typically captions appear at the bottom of a video screen.
Audio descriptions are spoken narrations that describe the visual elements of a video. Audio descriptions should be used when the visual element(s) on screen are impactful and key to providing context of what is going on.
Accessible pre-recorded video content should have the following features to meet success criteria for WCAG 2.1 AA:
Captions
- Time based, accurate captions are required, with few exceptions. Automatically generated captions must be reviewed for errors.
Transcripts:
- Transcripts are strongly encouraged along with captions. Users can create a transcript file based on the caption file.
Audio Descriptions
- Audio description narrates essential visual elements in a video, such as on-screen text, scenery, actions, and sound effects. With thoughtful script writing, most information in lecture videos can be conveyed without audio description, reducing the need for this resource. Audio Description provides context beyond dialogue, ensuring key visual details are accessible to blind and low-vision users. This is especially important when crucial information isn’t conveyed through speech. For example, in a chemistry lecture, it might explain a molecular diagram. In a recruitment video, it could describe text overlays introducing speakers and key messages.
Accessible pre-recorded audio content should have the following features to meet success criteria for WCAG 2.1 AA.
Transcripts
Transcripts are required for pre-recorded audio content.
Recommended workflow for creating captions/transcripts
- Script your lecture. This will make creating transcripts/captions easier.
- Ensure your recording space is properly set up for high-quality audio/video capture.
- Generate captions/transcript and correct errors (more info below).
- Upload the corresponding script in Canvas alongside the video.
Find more information about captioning from ODS or visit the ODS website for additional resources for faculty.
Tools for creating caption or transcription files: Canvas Studio, Camtasia, and Zoom
Canvas Studio
- You can record or upload video files using Studio.
- Canvas Studio will automatically create captions on all uploaded videos using speech-to-text technology to generate closed captions on demand; however, to have the captions appear on the video you must request they be added.
- Captions generated using this tool will need to be reviewed for errors and corrected.
- JMU Libraries provides support for Canvas Studio.
- Caption files can be exported as text files and uploaded anywhere.
Zoom
- You have the option to automatically transcribe the audio of a meeting or lecture that you record to the cloud. Follow the instructions on Zoom’s “Using audio transcription for cloud recordings” page to enable this feature. Note: captions will not automatically show on the recorded Zoom meeting; you will have to enable it.
- Captions generated using this tool will need to be reviewed for errors and corrected.
- JMU IT provides Zoom tech support.
Camtasia
- Captions generated using this tool will need to be reviewed for errors and corrected.
- JMU Libraries provides support for Camtasia
Creating new instructional media
Schedule a consultation with Media Production and Makerspace Services to learn about creating new instructional media with support of Libraries professionals.