Providing Video Captioning

Subtitles are intended for people who are able to hear, and are most often used to display a different language than the one that is spoken in the video.  They only include the words spoken.  Captions are intended to provide access to people who can’t hear. Unlike subtitles, captions include the spoken word, sound effects, and identification of speakers.  When a video has subtitles but is not available with captions, it is generally acceptable as an accommodation for deaf and hard-of-hearing students, though captions are preferred.

For more information as to what captions are and its intentions, check out Demystifying Captions in Less than 10 Minutes. 

If the material has audio and video, it will need to be captioned. A transcript is not sufficient for a video as the student would have to move their eyes back and forth from the screen to the documented text, causing them to potentially miss relevant visual content and context. However, if the instructor can provide a transcript, the captioning process will require less time and be less costly.

If the instructor plans to use audio-only files in class such as podcasts, a transcription is appropriate. Many podcast sites provide these for download, otherwise the instructor may request for the audio file to be transcribed by the DRC.

In some cases, a student may also use the support of Interpreters and or Live Captioners during  in person lectures or online synchronous class. Media material should still be captioned and or transcribed even when an Interpreter or Live Captioner is present. If there are multiple speakers, and a lot of activity or visuals that need to be seen in order to fully understand the video, interpreting the video in sign language is not adequate. It is impossible for the student to watch the video and the interpreters simultaneously. It is also difficult for interpreters to act out all the speaking parts or describe and interpret the visuals in such a way that it will be meaningful for the student.

In addition, UCSC captioners work remotely and often can only hear the class. They can’t see the video for context and the sound may not be clear enough. Again, it is quite difficult for the student to watch the video and the captioners’ captions, viewed on their laptop, simultaneously.

If the DVD has closed captions, it should be labeled “CC.” Or it may be labeled SDH (Subtitled for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing).  If the video is subtitled (rather than captioned) in various languages, including English, that is also acceptable. 

For any streaming videos the instructor plans to use, they should check for a “CC” button and then review the captions to make sure they are accurate.  Be aware that most major streaming platforms such as Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime often provide captions.

*A warning about YouTube videos: Often YouTube videos show the “CC” symbol indicating they are captioned. However, if you click on the “CC” symbol, and it says “English (Auto Generated),” these captions are produced using voice recognition software and are less than satisfactory. When used in the classroom, they may limit accessibility for the student with a hearing loss, and the errors are sometimes so inaccurate and inappropriate that they are distracting to the hearing students in class. We recommend that instructors review the entire YouTube video to check the accuracy of the captions before showing it in class.  If captions are not accurate, instructors should request that the DRC have them captioned.

An easy trick for determining if a YouTube videos is likely acceptable for access purposes:

• Click on the “CC” symbol at the bottom right of the video window. In the top left, if it says “English (auto generated),” it is captioned using voice recognition, which is not acceptable for accessibility.
• If a YouTube video is captioned by a human, it is more likely to be accurate. Click on the “CC” symbol, and in the upper left of the video it will show “English” in the upper left corner rather than “auto generated.”

With sufficient time, it is possible to obtain captioned materials. Instructors should make sure to check their DVDs and streaming videos well in advance (preferably before the quarter begins) to determine if they are captioned or not. If the material is not captioned, instructors can contact the DRC at drccaption@ucsc.edu for guidance on getting materials captioned. 

If instructors have a DRC student enrolled in their class and the student requires video captioning as an accommodation, the DRC Captioning Team can assist in making sure all the media is captioned or transcribed as needed.  In this case, the DRC will contact the instructor and set up a plan with them for getting captioning done as needed. This includes lecture recordings, supplemental films, videos, and clips used in the course.

Online Education may be able to assist with captioning for asynchronous/pre-recorded videos when there is not a DRC student in the class. Contact online@ucsc.edu or visit Online Education’s accessibility page for more information.

If instructors do not have a DRC student in class, they can still contact the DRC with questions related to media captioning.