Video and Audio

Video and audio content are important to make accessible for multiple reasons

Those who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing rely on captions and transcripts to access audio content. Those who are blind rely on transcripts and audio description for information that is only presented visually in multimedia. Captions and transcripts also help those where English is a second language, in noisy environments or where having audio playing is difficult, and for those who process better in multiple modes among many others who benefit from accessibility. Having audio content available as text also makes it accessible to machine translators, Braille output devices (used by people who are Deaf-Blind), and other assistive technology.

Main Considerations

  • Captions are a text version of spoken audio and important sounds, synchronized with the video.
  • Transcripts are another text version of spoken audio. Transcripts are usually provided alongside but separate from video/audio content, though they can usually be read without having to watch the video. Transcripts can also provide a description of any information conveyed visually. This is useful especially for videos that contain no speech but only music and images.
  • Audio description is a separate narrated track that provides more details about what is only presented visually.
  • Auto generated content. Automatically generated captions or transcripts that aren't checked may contain inaccuracies. For example, the phrase “It does, um, cause serious harm to people.” might turn into “It doesn’t cause serious harm to people.”
  • Additionally, movement and sound can be extremely distracting for people with certain cognitive conditions. For some with neurological conditions it may even cause migraines, vertigo, or seizures. Rapid flashing can trigger seizures in people with certain neurological conditions.
Accessibility Requirements for Video and Live Streaming Content in Higher Education
Content Type New Requirements (Effective April 2026) Implications
PRE-RECORDED VIDEO IN AN LMS Must include accurate captions that meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards.
  • More video content will need to be captioned
  • Audio descriptions will need to be provided from the start
  • Accuracy will need to be defined
  • Locus of responsibility is much broader – all video content creators must be informed and comply
  • OSU content will be more inclusive and students with disabilities will have equitable access to video content
PRE-RECORDED VIDEO ON A PUBLIC WEBSITE Must include accurate captions that meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards.
  • Same as above
LIVE STREAMING VIDEO Must provide real-time captions for all live streamed content.
  • Same as above
AUDIO DESCRIPTIONS Required for video with essential visual information not conveyed in audio.
  • Not currently able to automate this
  • Not as straightforward as captioning
  • Manual, time- and labor-intensive process
  • More costly to contract out
  • New to many video content creators – will require significant training
VIDEO PLAYER (KALTURA, ZOOM, VIMEO) ACCESSIBILITY Video players must be keyboard navigable and support screen readers.
  • OSU doesn’t currently have a designated unit/person to validate accessibility of players
VIRTUAL EVENTS All virtual events must be accessible by default, including captions and accessible platforms.
  • All events must be accessible from the start, not by request
THIRD-PARTY CONTENT Institutions responsible for ensuring third-party content in instruction is accessible.
  • More video content will need to be captioned and audio descriptions will need to be created

 

Strategy Guidance

Consult the following resources for guidance on achieving accessibility in this topic, particularly when you have a lot of applicable content.

General Resources

The following resources are helpful regardless of which platform you are working on.