Why captions are required
Captions are required for all university video content under Title II ADA, Section 504, and UA policy. Beyond compliance, captions benefit:
- Deaf and hard of hearing viewers — Primary accessibility need
- Non-native English speakers — Supports language comprehension
- Students in noisy or quiet environments — Libraries, public transit
- Viewers with cognitive disabilities — Reinforces audio with text
- Search and findability — Captions are indexed and searchable
Research shows: 80% of people who use captions are not deaf or hard of hearing (3Play Media, 2019). Studies show captions improve comprehension and retention for all viewers.
Types of captions
| Type | Description | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| Closed captions (CC) | Can be turned on/off by viewer | Standard for most content |
| Open captions | Always visible, burned into video | Social media, signage displays |
| Subtitles | Translation for different languages | Multilingual content |
| SDH (Subtitles for Deaf/HoH) | Includes non-speech audio descriptions | When sound effects matter |
Caption quality standards
Captions must meet WCAG 2.1 AA requirements (Success Criterion 1.2.2). Quality captions are:
Accurate
- Verbatim speech (not paraphrased)
- Correct spelling of names and technical terms
- Proper grammar and punctuation
- Speaker identification when multiple speakers
- Target: 99% accuracy
Synchronized
- Captions appear within 1 second of speech
- Duration matches speech timing
- Line breaks at natural pause points
Complete
- All spoken content included
- Relevant non-speech sounds described: [music], [applause], [phone rings]
- Speaker changes indicated
- No missing or dropped words
Readable
- 2-3 lines maximum per caption frame
- 32-42 characters per line
- Sufficient display time to read (minimum 1 second per frame)
- Proper line breaks (don't split phrases awkwardly)
Captioning workflow at UA
Option 1: Panopto (recommended for courses)
UA's video platform with integrated captioning:
- Upload or record video in Panopto
- Enable ASR: Settings → Captions → Enable automatic captions
- Wait for processing (usually 1-2 hours for ASR)
- Edit captions: Click "Captions" in the video editor
- Review and correct all auto-generated text
- Publish when captions are accurate
Option 2: YouTube Studio
- Upload video to YouTube
- Go to Subtitles in YouTube Studio
- Wait for auto-generated captions
- Click Edit to review and correct
- Publish captions
Option 3: Professional captioning services
For high-volume or high-stakes content, use professional services:
| Service | Turnaround | Cost estimate | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3Play Media | 1-4 business days | $2-4/minute | High accuracy, large volumes |
| Rev | 12-24 hours | $1.50-2/minute | Fast turnaround |
| Verbit | Same day | $2-5/minute | Live events, lectures |
Contact accessibility@arizona.edu for department purchasing guidance.
Option 4: Manual captioning
For short videos or when other options aren't available:
- Amara: amara.org — Free web-based caption editor
- YouTube caption editor — Built into YouTube Studio
- Subtitle Edit: Free desktop software for Windows
Caption editing best practices
Common auto-caption errors to fix
- Names and proper nouns: "Dr. Smith" not "doctor smith"
- Technical terms: "WCAG" not "W cag" or "double-u cag"
- Homophones: "their/there/they're" — check context
- Numbers: Verify dates, statistics, phone numbers
- Acronyms: "UA" not "you a"
Formatting conventions
- Speaker identification: Use [Professor]: or >> Professor: for multiple speakers
- Sound effects: [music], [applause], [inaudible]
- Emphasis: Use italics for emphasis or foreign words
- Numbers: Spell out one through ten; use digits for 11+
Line breaking
Good:
The accessibility guidelines require captions on all videos.
Poor:
The accessibility guidelines require captions on all videos.
Break at natural phrase boundaries, not in the middle of thoughts.
Live event captioning
For live events, webinars, and synchronous classes:
Zoom automatic captions
- Enable in meeting settings
- Quality varies (70-85% accuracy)
- Suitable for informal meetings
- Not sufficient for formal accommodations
Professional CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation)
- Human captioner provides 98%+ accuracy
- Required for formal accommodations
- Schedule through DRC for student accommodations
- Book 2+ weeks in advance for events
Contact uadrc@arizona.edu to arrange CART services.
Transcripts
In addition to captions, provide downloadable transcripts for:
- Audio-only content (podcasts)
- Long-form videos
- Content where users may want to search or reference
Transcript best practices
- Include speaker names
- Add timestamps for long content
- Use headings for sections/topics
- Note significant non-speech audio
- Provide in accessible format (HTML or accessible Word/PDF)
Audio description
Audio description narrates important visual information for blind and low-vision viewers. Required when:
- Visual content conveys information not in the audio track
- Demonstrations, charts, or on-screen text
- Videos where action is important to understanding
When audio description is needed
| Content type | Audio description needed? |
|---|---|
| Talking head lecture | Usually no (if slides are described verbally) |
| Software demo | Yes (describe on-screen actions) |
| Lab demonstration | Yes (describe physical actions) |
| Chart or graph shown | Yes (describe data and trends) |
| Interview | Usually no (unless visual context matters) |
Providing audio description
- Integrate into script: Narrate what you're showing as you present
- Extended description: Pause video to describe complex visuals
- Separate track: Create alternative version with AD
- Text description: Provide written description of visual content
Caption quality checklist
- ☐ All speech is captioned verbatim
- ☐ Speaker identification included
- ☐ Names and technical terms spelled correctly
- ☐ Non-speech sounds described [music], [applause]
- ☐ Captions synchronized with audio
- ☐ Line breaks at natural phrases
- ☐ 99%+ accuracy achieved
- ☐ Captions display long enough to read
Resources
- DCMP Captioning Key — Industry standard guide
- 3Play Media Resources — Best practices and research
- Panopto Workflow Guide
- Teaching & Learning Hub