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Title II Accessibility how-to tips: Accessible multimedia and captioning

As campus efforts continue to meet Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act compliance, the digital accessibility team is providing weekly articles on how to create accessible content.

This week focuses on creating accessible multimedia content.

Accessible multimedia and captioning

Whether you are recording a lecture in Panopto, hosting a meeting in Zoom or sharing a video on YouTube, captioning is the most critical step in making your content accessible to everyone.

Captions don't just benefit students who are d/Deaf or hard of hearing; they also assist those in noisy environments, non-native speakers and students who learn better with text reinforcement. At SUNY Oswego, our primary video tools all feature automatic captioning — but they still require a human touch for 100 percent accuracy.

1. YouTube: Duplicate and edit

YouTube’s "Automatic Captions" are a good starting point, but they often struggle with technical terms and names (like turning "Oswego" into "us we go," among other things).

  • How to edit: Go to YouTube Studio > Subtitles. Select your video and click Duplicate and Edit.
  • Review: Listen to the audio and correct the text in the editor. Once finished, hit Publish to replace the automatic track with your corrected version.
  • Shortcut Tip: Use Shift + Space to pause/play and Shift + Enter to add a new line while editing.

2. Zoom: Perfecting cloud recordings

If you record your Zoom meetings or classes to the cloud, Zoom automatically generates a transcript.

  • How to edit: Log into your Zoom account web portal, go to Recordings, and click the thumbnail of your video.
  • The editor: On the right side of the video, you will see the transcript. Click any pencil icon to edit the text directly. Click the checkmark to save your changes.
  • Audio quality: Better audio leads to better captions: Use a dedicated headset or microphone whenever possible to help Zoom’s AI capture your speech accurately.

3. Panopto: Most accurate automatic captioning

Panopto is the primary tool for lecture capture and is already integrated with Brightspace. Its automatic caption generation tends to be the best of the three products available, so they should require the least amount of corrections.

  • Getting started: Once you upload an existing video or a newly recorded one, machine-generated captions are applied automatically.
  • Timeline: Captions usually appear within an hour of uploading.
  • Verification: Always open your video in the Panopto editor to review the captions. Like other AI tools, Panopto requires a quick scan to ensure academic terms and names are spelled correctly.

Essential Multimedia Tips

Beyond captions, keep these accessibility "Golden Rules" in mind for all video content:

  • Accessible source material: If you are recording a PowerPoint or Google Doc, make sure the original document is accessible before you hit record.
  • Color contrast: Ensure any text or graphics shown in your video have high color contrast.
  • Avoid flashing content: To prevent seizures or dizziness, avoid content that flashes rapidly, especially red colors.
  • Audio descriptions: If you have important visual information (like a complex chart) that isn't mentioned in your speech, be sure to describe it out loud for those who cannot see the screen.

Professional development and support

To further assist the campus community, the Digital Accessibility team is available to visit departments, offices, or student groups for training or discussion.

Additional learning opportunities include:

Staying informed

Additional updates on campus accessibility efforts and Title II implementation continue to be shared through Oswego Today and occasional campus emails.

Creating an inclusive digital environment is a shared responsibility. Thank you for your attention to this important initiative and for helping ensure that SUNY Oswego remains a welcoming, accessible community for all.

–- Submitted by members of the Digital Accessibility Steering Committee and the Workgroup on Accessibility Practices who can be reached at accessibilitypractices@oswego.edu