Why Multimedia Accessibility Matters
Multimedia content — videos, audio recordings, podcasts — is increasingly common in courses and communications at SRJC. Without accessibility features, this content excludes entire groups of users:
- Deaf and hard-of-hearing users need captions to access audio content
- Blind and low-vision users need audio description for visual-only information
- All users benefit from captions and transcripts (noisy environments, non-native speakers, study aid)
⚡ Quick Rules
- Caption all video with synchronized, accurate captions
- Edit auto-captions — never publish raw auto-captions
- Provide transcripts for all audio-only content
- Add audio description when visuals convey information not in the audio
- Use the DECT grant for free captioning services
Captions
Captions are synchronized text that appears on screen in real time with the audio. They convey spoken dialogue, identify speakers, and describe relevant sound effects.
Requirements
- All video content must have accurate, synchronized captions
- Auto-captions (YouTube, Zoom, Canvas Studio) are a starting point but must be edited — accuracy is typically only 60–80%
- Never publish or share video with raw auto-captions
Captioning Resources at SRJC
| Resource | What It Provides |
|---|---|
| DECT Grant | The Distance Education Captioning and Transcription (DECT) grant provides limited free captioning and transcription services for qualified materials to California Community Colleges, including SRJC. Funded by the CCC Chancellor's Office and housed at Palomar College. Contact the Distance Education team for more information. |
| 3C Media Solutions | Recommended by SRJC Distance Education for storage and delivery of webcast videos |
| SRJC DE Multimedia Accessibility | Guidelines for DIY or third-party captioning and DECT grant applications |
Transcripts
Transcripts are a text version of audio content. They are required for audio-only content (podcasts, audio recordings, narrated slides without video). They're also beneficial for video content because they're searchable, downloadable, and skimmable.
Audio Description
Audio description is narration of important visual information that is not conveyed through the audio alone. It's required when meaningful visual information is present on screen that a blind user would miss.
When Audio Description Is Needed
- A chart or graph is shown on screen but not described verbally
- An action is performed that's critical to understanding but not narrated
- On-screen text conveys key information (e.g., a title slide with the course name and instructor)
When It's Not Needed
- A "talking head" lecture where all information is conveyed through speech
- A narrated screencast where the narrator describes everything they're doing