Instructional Innovation and Engagement

Closed Captions and Inclusive Design

Providing closed captions (CC) on course videos is an important piece of an Inclusive Design Approach that benefits all students and gives you a big head start to meet a disability accommodation when the need arises.

Provide Computer-Generated Closed Captions on Videos

Closed captions generated by voice recognition software are now available on many video platforms. Whether you record lectures for your course in advance, record live class sessions for students to view later, or search for 3rd party videos online, make sure all videos have the option for students to display CC:

  • Host all course videos on a platform that provides computer-generated CC, such as Echo360.
  • Filter online search results to show only videos with CC: in YouTube, Search videos for captions or set Google’s Advanced Video Search subtitles option to “closed captions only”.
  • If you want to use a 3rd-party video that does not have CC available, ask the video owner to enable them. Sometimes this works!
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Meet a Closed Captioning Accommodation

Computer-generated CC are not yet accurate enough to meet a closed captioning accommodation. TILT’s Closed Captions project works with instructors to edit computer-generated captions for accuracy.

  • Both SDC and TILT will email you about students registered for your course who require closed captions. The Student Disability Center will also contact you about any related accommodations, such as an American Sign Language interpreter or a transcriber in the classroom.
  • All videos need to be hosted on a platform that includes CC, preferably Echo360 because that requires no extra work by you to share videos with TILT’s caption editors.
  • TILT’s Closed Captions project staff will work with you to coordinate the editing of computer-generated captions.
  • For pre-recorded videos, accurate (i.e., human-edited) closed captions must be provided at the same time the material is provided to all students.
  • Recordings of live class sessions will need edited closed captions as soon as possible after class.

Helpful Links

Contact Info

For caption inquiries, contact Andy Swanson at TILT Caption Support.