When creating multimedia content, it is important to include accessibility considerations in planning, scripting, storyboarding, recording, and producing audio and video (W3C, 2023). Adding accessibility best practices into your creation process helps to ensure the result will be usable by people with disabilities. Content creators and administrators are responsible for ensuring that all videos include accurate closed captions and transcripts. This also includes shared videos, but not necessarily created or owned by Rice content authors and administrators.
Learn how to make audio and video media accessible. Use the W3C-created checklists for audio and video.
Video
According to WCAG success criterion 1.2.2, all recorded videos need accurate, synchronized captions to meet the baseline of accessibility requirements. Transcripts are also required to meet this standard and to ensure people with a variety of disabilities can equally access the video.
Videos created for teaching and learning and not shared publicly are categorized as “academic videos.” Learning Environments and OIT support two main platforms, Zoom and Kaltura, for creating and sharing academic videos in your Canvas courses.
Kaltura can also be used for employee or staff-related training videos, as the platform has an accessible media player and provides captions and transcripts. Captions that Kaltura automatically generates need to be reviewed for accuracy of spelling, punctuation, etc. Contact the Digital Accessibility team to learn more about utilizing Kaltura to create accessible training videos.
Learn about Captioning, Transcripts and Audio Description.
Video Platforms at Rice
There are a variety of video platforms for recording, uploading and sharing video. Some platforms include automatic speech recognition (ASR) captions for uploaded videos, though the accuracy of these captions fall below the threshold of accessibility and manual editing for spelling, punctuation etc is required.
Zoom Cloud Recordings
|
License |
Enterprise available for Rice employees. |
|---|---|
|
Video Recorder |
YES |
|
Live Video |
YES |
|
ASR captions |
YES, live and cloud recordings |
|
Caption Editor |
YES |
The Learning Environments team fully supports Zoom. In addition to live video meetings and webinars, you can use Zoom to create short lecture videos and demonstrations with screen and audio-sharing. When you record your Zoom meeting to the cloud, the recording will include synchronized closed captions and an interactive transcript.
Note that local recordings will not result in captioned videos; therefore, we strongly recommend that recordings be done through the cloud.
Zoom cloud recording ASR captions will require editing after production. Learn how to use the Zoom Caption Editor.
Zoom cloud recordings are not permanent. Learn more about Rice's Zoom Retention Policy.
Kaltura
|
License |
Enterprise available for Rice faculty (staff by request). |
|---|---|
|
Video Recorder |
YES |
|
Live Video |
NO |
|
ASR captions |
YES |
|
Caption Editor |
YES |
To get started, upload new media in the My Media area of your Canvas course.
It will take some time for the video and automatic transcription captions to finish processing.
All videos uploaded to your Kaltura 'My Media' will receive automatic closed captions and transcripts.
Automatic captions are only roughly 70% to &5% accurate.
To make captions truly accessible, the accuracy should be closer to 99%.
Use the Kaltura Captions Editor to improve the accuracy of automatic captions.
Note that automatic captions are currently limited to English and Spanish.
Using Kaltura in Canvas
- Kaltura in Canvas Walkthrough
- Embed Kaltura Video in Canvas
- Upload and Publish Kaltura Videos in Canvas
Editing Automatic Captions
Other Video Platforms
Rice OIT does not support these platforms.
YouTube
|
License |
NO |
|---|---|
|
Pre-Recorder Video |
YES |
|
Live Video |
YES |
|
ASR |
YES, both live and pre-recorded |
|
Caption Editor |
YES |
YouTube is a popular platform for sharing public videos. Learning Environments does not support YouTube, so use it at your discretion. Learning Environments recommends using Kaltura for all academic videos.
Videos uploaded to YouTube will receive ASR captions, but they do not include proper capitalization and punctuation, so they will require some cleaning. Learn more about YouTube Captions.
Vimeo
|
License |
NO |
|---|---|
|
Pre-Recorder Video |
YES |
|
Live Video |
NO |
|
ASR |
NO |
|
Caption Editor |
NO |
Vimeo does not include automatic speech recognition captions, or a captions editor. We do not recommend using Vimeo without first having a detailed process for creating and uploading your own caption files in .SRT format.
Learn more about Vimeo Captions and Subtitles.