Designing for All: Why Audio & Video Matters
Regardless of whether your video content is hosted on platforms such as Zoom, Panopto, or others, it is essential to incorporate accurate captions and transcripts to ensure accessibility for individuals with disabilities.To use video and audio for accessibility, we can add audio descriptions for visually impaired users, provide captions and transcripts for those with hearing impairments, and ensure clear narration for users with cognitive disabilities. Structured audio helps organize content, making it easier to follow
1. Panopto
Panopto simplifies the process of editing captions for your videos or audios or presentations. Ensuring thatcaptions are accurate is vital for making your videos accessible to students with disabilities.
Editing Captions in Panopto
Once your video has finished processing, open your video in Panopto.
Select the "Edit" button in the "top toolbar" to edit your recording.
Select "Captions" from the tab options on the left to view the video's captions, including the auto-generated captions created upon upload.
Fix any spelling, grammar, and punctuation mistakes in the "captions"
Reference for Panopto :
- Panopto is Marist's Digital Platform for Recording and Editing
- Learn About Accessibility Features
- How to Add ASR (Automatic Speech Recognition) Captions into a Video
- Accessibility in Brightspace
2. Zoom
Enable Captions in Zoom
Log in to your Zoom account and go to Settings.
Under the "Meeting tab", find the "Closed Captioning" option and toggle it on.
If you want to assign a "live captioner", enable the "Allow live transcription"service to transcribe meeting audio option.
Start Your Meeting or Webinar
Begin your Zoom meeting or webinar as usual.
Activate Closed Captioning During the Meeting
Click on the CC button (Live Transcript) in the meeting controls at the bottom of the Zoom window.
Select Enable Auto-Transcription to begin automatically generating captions.
Reference for zoom:
- Learn about Zoom’s accessibility options
- Use Marist's zoom for Meeting and Collaboration
- Zoom is a video-conferencing platform for which Marist
Best Practices for the Alternative Text:
Writing alt text requires careful consideration to ensure the image’s message is communicated clearly. Here are some best practices for writing effective alt text:
- Avoid Starting with “Image of…”: Screen readers already inform the user that the content is an image, so starting with “image of…” is redundant. Instead, directly describe what the image is showing.
- Examine the Image Closely: Consider what the image communicates in the context of the surrounding content. What would a user miss if they couldn’t see the image? Only mark the image as decorative if it doesn’t convey any meaningful information.
- Describe the Image’s Function if Linked: If the image serves as a link, include alt text that describes the link’s function, such as "Click here for more information" or "View product details."
- Include Text in the Image: If the image contains text (such as a chart or infographic), include the text in the alt text to ensure that users with visual impairments don’t miss out on essential information.
- Address Complex Images with Brief and Long Descriptions: For complex images, like infographics or detailed charts, start with a brief description in the alt text and then provide a long description that includes any essential text or data. This ensures that the user gets both a quick overview and the full content.
See below for additional information on:
Additional Tips
For more information, check out the WCAG 2.2 (Text Alternatives) for detailed guidance on ensuring your web and document content is fully accessible.
How to use Audio-video:
How to Use Audio and Video in the following:
Additional Tips
For more information, check out the WCAG 2.2 for detailed guidance on ensuring your web and document content is fully accessible.