What It Is
Captions are text versions of spoken dialogue and important audio information synchronized with video. Transcripts provide a written record of spoken content and relevant audio elements for videos or audio-only materials. In digital course materials, captions and transcripts ensure multimedia content is accessible in multiple formats.
Why It Matters
Captions and transcripts are essential for students who are deaf or hard of hearing, but they also benefit many other learners. They support comprehension, note-taking, searching, and learning in noisy or quiet environments. Providing captions and transcripts improves clarity, supports accessibility standards, and ensures all students can engage fully with audio and video content.
What to Do
- Ensure all videos include closed captions.
- Use Kaltura Reach to caption instructor-created media.
- When selecting videos from external sources, choose options that already include captions.
- Describe video-only content in text or narration.
- Include transcripts for audio-only files.
- Avoid autoplay, or provide controls to pause, stop, or mute.
How-to Guides
- Adding Captions to Your Videos Using Kaltura Reach - Guide | Video (02:56)
- Adding Accessible Media to Canvas - Guide | Video (04:05)
Resources