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How to create accessible multimedia

Multimedia provides multiple ways to consume information, which is a core tenet of Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Making it accessible ensures these benefits reach everyone, including those with sensory disabilities. Transcripts and captions make your video content searchable by text, allowing students to quickly find specific moments in a lecture. Multimedia is often the highest-risk area for accessibility lawsuits. Providing equal access to audio and video content is a baseline requirement for institutional content.

Preliminary considerations for Google Slides accessibility

Before you record or upload media, consider these foundations:

  • Use Platforms with Captions: Use tools supported by HCU (like Canvas Studio or Zoom) that have built-in captioning editors. Avoid “baked-in” captions that cannot be toggled off.
  • Live vs. Recorded: Live sessions (Zoom/Teams) require different strategies (like live transcription) than pre-recorded lectures (which require edited captions).
  • Test Automated Captions: If you are using third-party videos (e.g., YouTube or TED Talks), check for professional captions before adding them to your curriculum. “Auto-generated” captions that haven’t been edited are often insufficient.
  • Narrate Everything in Real-time: If you are recording a lecture, narrate what you are doing as you do it. This “self-description” saves you from having to create a separate audio description track later.
  • Audio-Only: Podcasts or audio recordings must have a full text transcript to be equivalent for those who cannot hear.
  • Third-Party Content: If you didn’t make it, you still have to ensure it’s accessible. Before assigning a YouTube video, check for the “CC” icon and verify it isn’t “auto-generated.”

Multimedia accessibility guidelines

Guidelines for Multimedia target the deaf, blind, and sensory impairments of users.

In this page:

  1. Captions (For the Deaf and Hard of Hearing)
  2. Transcripts (For Deaf-Blind and Review)
  3. Audio Description (For the Blind and Low Vision)
  4. Visual Design of Media

1. Captions (For the Deaf and Hard of Hearing)

  • Recorded Media: Captions must be at least 99% accurate and synchronized with the audio. Always review and edit “Auto-captions” in tools like Canvas Studio or YouTube.
  • Live Meetings (Zoom/Teams): Enable “Live Transcription” at the start of every session. This provides an AI-generated safety net for students in real-time.
  • Good: Narrating, “I am enabling live captions now,” so students know the feature is available.

2. Transcripts (For Deaf-Blind and Review)

  • Audio-Only Content: Every podcast or audio clip must have a full text transcript.
  • Video Content: Providing a transcript alongside video allows students to search for keywords and supports those using braille displays.
  • Good: Posting a “Download Transcript” link immediately below your audio or video player.

3. Audio Description (For the Blind and Low Vision)

  • Describe Visuals: Narrate any visual info not conveyed through dialogue. If you show a chart, describe the trends you are seeing.
  • The “Self-Narration” Habit: Instead of saying “Click here,” say “Click the blue Submit button in the top right.”
  • Why: This builds accessibility directly into your teaching, making your content “born accessible” without needing extra software.

4. Visual Design of Media

  • Avoid Flashing: No content should flash more than three times per second to prevent seizures.
  • Player Accessibility: Use HCU-vetted players (Canvas Studio, Zoom) that allow for keyboard-only navigation (e.g., using the Spacebar to pause).
  • Text in Video: If you put a deadline or URL on the screen, make sure you also say it out loud for those who cannot see the text.

Learn more about creating accessible content

Guidelines for Documents, Multimedia, Email, Canvas, Charts & Graphs, and Forms.