Video & Audio

Video and audio are powerful ways to teach, explain, and connect with your audience. At UC, this includes lecture recordings, narrated slides, tutorials, podcasts, event recordings, and short clips shared on websites or social platforms. When media is accessible, everyone can access the content—whether they watch, listen, read, or use assistive technologies.

All media published on UC websites and video hosting platforms under UC accounts must meet university accessibility guidelines. Building accessibility into your media from the start not only supports compliance, it also improves clarity, reach, and overall user experience.

There are two parts to most media: audio and video. Your accessibility needs depend on which of these are present:

  • Audio-only media: Media that uses only sound—speech, music, and/or sound effects. Common examples include podcasts, MP3 files, and audio lectures.
  • Video-only media: Media that uses only visuals—video, on‑screen text, or animations, with no audio. Common examples include silent animations, videos without audio, and GIFs.
  • Video with audio (multimedia): The most common type of media, where audio and visuals together convey the message. Common examples include lecture recordings, talking‑head videos, narrated slides, and tutorial videos.

Knowing which type you are creating helps you decide which accessibility features to add—captions, transcripts, audio description, color contrast, or a combination.

Focus Areas for Video & Audio

For video and audio, the main Core Concept you will focus on is Captions & Transcripts, supported by thoughtful use of color contrast, copy formatting, and technical features in your media tools.

Captions & Transcripts: Captions and transcripts are the core accessibility features for media.

  • Captions: Captions provide a synchronized text version of the spoken audio and important sounds. They should include dialogue, key sound effects, music that conveys meaning, and speaker identification when needed. Many platforms, including Kaltura and YouTube, can auto‑generate captions, but those machine captions must be reviewed and edited for accuracy before you rely on them.
  • Transcripts: Transcripts offer a full text version of audio or video content. For audio‑only media such as podcasts or recorded lectures, a transcript is the primary accessible alternative. For video, a descriptive transcript that includes key visual information supports users who prefer reading, need to search content, or who are both deaf and blind.
  • Audio description and descriptive transcripts: Audio description narrates important visual details that are not obvious from the audio alone, helping blind and low‑vision users understand what is happening on screen. Sometimes your narration already describes key visuals; in other cases, you may need additional description in the audio track or in a descriptive transcript so users who cannot see the video still receive the full message.

Color Contrast: Any text that appears inside your video—such as titles, lower thirds, labels in charts, or instructions—must have sufficient contrast against the background to be readable. This is especially important for infographics, promotional graphics, and text overlays. Choosing color pairs that meet contrast guidelines helps ensure on‑screen text remains legible across devices and viewing conditions.

Copy Formatting: On‑screen text should be short, clear, and easy to read. Avoid dense paragraphs, overly decorative fonts, or very small text that will be difficult to see on phones or laptops. Place text on simple backgrounds so it is not competing with busy imagery, and keep layout straightforward so viewers can pick up key information quickly.

Technical: Most UC‑supported media platforms include accessibility tools that can speed up your workflow. Kaltura, YouTube, and other hosting services can generate machine captions and provide interfaces for editing and approving them. These tools are a great starting point, but machine captions alone do not meet accessibility requirements. You are responsible for reviewing and editing captions, confirming that players expose clear controls for captions and playback, and ensuring your media works with keyboard navigation and assistive technologies.

Tools to Know

UC provides and recommends several tools that support accessible video and audio.

Kaltura: Kaltura is UC’s primary platform for hosting and sharing video and audio used in courses and on some UC sites. It supports machine captioning, caption editing, and transcript generation. You can request machine captions, edit them for accuracy, and, when appropriate, request professional captioning through UC’s established processes, especially for disability accommodations or high‑priority content.

YouTube Studio: YouTube Studio provides tools to upload, edit, and manage captions and transcripts for videos hosted on YouTube. If you use YouTube in a UC context, you can take advantage of its caption editor and transcript features to improve accuracy and provide searchable text versions of your content.

Native caption tools in platforms: Social and media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and others offer auto‑captioning or subtitle features. These are useful starting points, but auto‑generated captions should always be reviewed and edited for accuracy before you consider the content accessible.

Video and caption editing tools: Professional tools like Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, and Microsoft Stream can create and manage captions during the video editing process. They support adding open or closed captions, exporting caption files, and refining timing and formatting as part of your editing workflow.

Design and color contrast tools: Tools such as the WebAIM Color Contrast Checker help you verify that text in graphics and on‑screen titles has sufficient contrast against the background. This is critical when you design title cards, lower thirds, or text‑heavy visuals that will be embedded in videos.

As tools and platforms evolve, captioning interfaces and features may change. Just like other aspects of media production, plan to check platform documentation periodically so you can take advantage of new accessibility options and improvements.

Sample Use Cases

For audio‑only media such as podcasts or recorded audio lectures, provide an accurate transcript that includes all spoken content and any important non‑speech sounds. You can start by generating captions or a transcript using a tool like Kaltura or another transcription service, then edit for accuracy and clarity. Share the transcript in a location that is easy to find next to or linked from the audio, so listeners can read, search, or review content as needed.

For video‑only media, such as silent animations, demos, or GIFs that convey important information, provide a written description near the media. This description should explain what happens in the animation and what viewers are meant to understand. If the video includes on‑screen text, make sure the color contrast is strong and that the same information is available in surrounding text so users who cannot see the video still get the message.

For lecture recordings or narrated slides, ensure the video has accurate captions and, when possible, a transcript students can download or read alongside the video. Review machine‑generated captions and correct names, technical terms, and any misheard phrases. During recording, describe important visuals, such as charts or diagrams, so that the narration itself carries key information. If you reference something on screen by saying “as you can see here,” briefly explain what “here” shows.

When you post short videos to platforms like Instagram, TikTok, or LinkedIn, turn on the platform’s captioning feature and then edit the auto‑generated captions for accuracy. Keep on‑screen text brief and ensure it has strong color contrast against the background. Use the post text to summarize the main point of the video and include any critical information, such as dates, locations, or links, in text, not only in the video itself.

High‑quality captions are accurate, clear, and easy to read. As adapted from the Described and Captioned Media Program’s guidance, good captions are accurate (faithful to what is said), consistent (using a uniform style for things like speaker labels), clear (including key sounds and speaker identification where needed), readable (timed so viewers can read them comfortably and not obscuring important visuals), and equal (preserving the meaning and intention of the original content). If viewers can follow the content through captions alone and understand who is speaking and what is happening, your captions are on the right track.

Before you publish, check what kind of media you have and confirm the right accessibility features are in place. For audio‑only content, verify that a complete, accurate transcript is available. For video‑only content, make sure you provide a clear description nearby and that any on‑screen text has sufficient color contrast. For video with audio, ensure captions are accurate and synchronized, important visuals are described in the audio or supporting text, and on‑screen text is readable. If these elements are in place, your media is much more likely to be accessible to all members of your audience.