Making Videos Accessible - Captioning, Transcripts, and Audio Descriptions Explained

Since the internet came about with its vast amount of information and YouTube providing us with more cat videos than anyone could watch in their lifetime, video content has clearly become a vital part of how we communicate, learn, and entertain ourselves.

Whether it’s a tutorial on YouTube, a company’s promotional video, or an educational lecture, videos are crucial in the way that we share and consume information. However, for millions of people with disabilities, accessing video content can be a significant challenge. This is where accessible video features, such as captions, transcripts, and audio descriptions, come into play. These tools make videos usable for everyone, ensuring inclusivity in the digital world.

In this post, we’ll explore what these features are, how they work, and why they’re essential for improving digital accessibility.

What Are Captions, and Why Are They Important?

Captions are perhaps the most familiar accessibility feature when it comes to videos. Simply put, captions are the text version of the spoken dialogue or sounds within a video, displayed on the screen as the video plays. While many people might associate captions or subtitles with watching foreign-language films, their role in accessibility is much broader.

For example, imagine you are in a noisy environment, such as a café, trying to watch an instructional video. Captions allow you to follow along without needing to hear the audio clearly. More critically, for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, captions provide an essential means to understand spoken content. But captions don’t just convey words — they also describe other important audio elements such as laughter, music, or sound effects, giving a fuller picture of the video’s context.

Consider a marketing video promoting a new product. The video might include upbeat music to set a positive tone, followed by a voiceover highlighting the product’s features. Without captions, someone who is hard of hearing would miss not only the voiceover but also the mood set by the background music, resulting in a less complete experience.

What’s the Difference Between Captions and Subtitles?

It's easy to confuse captions and subtitles, as both provide on-screen text. However, there’s an important distinction. Subtitles usually represent the spoken words only, whereas captions cover all significant sounds within the video. In other words, captions are designed to convey the full audio experience for those who cannot hear it, while subtitles are generally intended for viewers who can hear but may not understand the spoken language.

Take the example of a documentary filmed in French, but watched by an English-speaking audience. Subtitles would translate the spoken French into English. However, captions in the same scenario would not only translate the speech but would also describe non-verbal audio cues like the sound of waves crashing, enhancing accessibility for those with hearing impairments.

Transcripts

Transcripts are written versions of all the content within a video. Unlike captions, transcripts are separate from the video itself, providing a full script that can be read independently. These are especially helpful for people who may prefer to read the content instead of watching it or for those with slower internet connections where streaming videos might not be practical.

A common real-world example is online lectures or interviews. A student or professional might want to quickly scan through the content of a video to find specific information. Reading a transcript is far quicker than scrubbing through the entire video to locate a particular section. Transcripts can also be a lifeline for people using screen readers, enabling those with visual impairments to access the spoken information in a way that suits their needs.

Audio Descriptions

While captions and transcripts focus on making audio content accessible, audio descriptions are designed to help people with visual impairments access the visual elements of a video. An audio description is a spoken narration that explains what is happening on the screen when there is no dialogue to describe it.

Imagine watching a mystery film. The suspense often builds through the characters’ facial expressions, dramatic gestures, or sudden movements that might not have any dialogue. For someone who is blind or has low vision, these visual cues could be entirely missed without an audio description. A voiceover might say, "The detective glances at the door with suspicion," allowing the viewer to understand the context of the scene even if they cannot see it.

In more practical terms, consider a government informational video about safety procedures during a fire. The video might demonstrate actions such as "pulling the fire alarm" or "walking towards the exit", which are vital to understanding the message. An audio description would explain these actions to ensure the information is accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to see.

The Benefits of Making Videos Accessible

While the primary goal of captions, transcripts, and audio descriptions is to assist people with disabilities, these features can enhance the viewing experience for everyone. Think of the times you’ve watched a video on your phone with the sound turned off — captions make it possible to follow along. Or perhaps you’ve used a transcript to quickly skim through an hour-long interview to find the most relevant parts. Accessible video features help people in all sorts of situations, making content more versatile and user-friendly.

Conclusion

As video continues to be such a large proportion of online content, ensuring that it is accessible to all is more important than ever. Captions, transcripts, and audio descriptions each play a crucial role in breaking down barriers to access. They allow everyone, regardless of their physical abilities or the circumstances they find themselves in, to engage with video content fully.

By incorporating these features into your videos, you’re not only adhering to legal standards of accessibility but also promoting inclusivity, making your content available to a broader and more diverse audience. This is great for SEO - meaning you would benefit from more viewers and consequently followers, but it also largely benefits those who want to consume your content.

The next time you watch a video, take a moment to consider how these features might benefit different viewers —and how you can start including them in your own content.