How Do I Make My Video Content Meet Accessibility Standards?

Transcripts are an important component of accessible video content. Purdue University emphasizes that videos used to deliver information online should include text-based alternatives so that all users can access and understand the content, regardless of their ability to hear the audio.

Who Benefits from Transcripts?

  • Those who are deaf: Since they cannot hear the audio in videos, transcripts provide access to spoken dialogue, narration, and important sound cues.
  • Those who are blind: For videos that rely heavily on visual information (such as demonstrations), transcripts include descriptions that convey what cannot be seen.
  • Those who are deafblind: Transcripts can be read using a screen reader paired with a refreshable braille display, giving them full access to the content.

Why Transcripts Must Be Easy to Find:

Transcripts should be easy to locate and placed directly with a video or accessible through a clearly labeled link. If users cannot find the transcript quickly, its accessibility value is lost.

What a Transcript Should Include:

A good transcript should include:

  • All narration and dialogue.
  • Identification of speakers.
  • Important sound effects (applause, actions, music, etc.).
  • Descriptions of key visual information that is not explained verbally.

Transcripts vs. Captions:

For videos with synchronized audio, captions are also required in addition to transcripts. This is because:

  • Captions are time-synced with the video, allowing viewers to follow along in real time.
  • Transcripts are not synchronized, so they do not show exactly when specific content occurs on screen.
  • Prerecorded videos with audio require synchronized captions under WCAG. This is a Level A requirement (Success Criterion 1.2.2). Without captions, people who are deaf or hard of hearing cannot access the audible information.

However, transcripts remain highly valuable. They allow users to read at their own pace and are essential for people who are deafblind.

Provide all three when possible:

  • Captions - synchronized with video.
  • Transcript - complete text version.
  • Audio description - for complex visual content.

Key Takeaways:

  • Captions are for synchronized media (video with audio) and they appear in sync with the content.
  • Transcripts are the text-based alternative - essential for audio-only content and strongly recommended for all multimedia
  • For video with audio: You need both captions AND audio descriptions to meet WCAG. A transcript alone won't satisfy the requirements, but it's a great addition.

CASCADE VIDEO BLOCK EXAMPLE

Transcript for Cascade Video Block Example with transcript

[00:00:00]
[MUSIC PLAYING]

NARRATOR: From the big to the small.

[Visual: A young woman holds a duckling. A young woman plays with a dog.]

NARRATOR: You've cared about animals since you were young.

[Visual: A young man holds a piglet.]

NARRATOR: How do you turn your passion for animals into a career? When you pursue a degree in Purdue Animal Sciences, you'll get hands-on experience working directly with animals in our world-class facilities. Your classroom may be here, or here, or even here.

[Visual: Students interact with animals in a variety of learning environments.]

[00:00:28]
[Visual: A group of students sits on the grass playing with three dogs.]

NARRATOR: You'll meet friends and form a community.

NARRATOR: No matter where you come from, you'll get the skills and experience you need to succeed, from farm to fork and anywhere in between.

[Visual: A student looks through a microscope. A student works with a horse.]

NARRATOR: Our curriculum focuses on both theory and practice, preparing graduates for a wide range of careers in animal agriculture, veterinary medicine, scientific discovery, food industries, and more.

NARRATOR: Learn how you can explore the possibilities with Purdue Animal Sciences.

[00:01:05]
[MUSIC PLAYING]

[Visual: End screen displays department contact information.]

On-screen text:
Department of Animal Sciences
anscinfo@purdue.edu
765-494-4808
ag.purdue.edu/ansc

Purdue University
College of Agriculture

[End of video]

MONTAGE - VIDEO BLOCK EXAMPLE

Transcript for Cascade Montage Video Block Example with transcript

[00:00:00] [UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING THROUGHOUT]

(DESCRIPTION)
[00:00:00] Onscreen Logo (bottom right): "Spring Fest".

[00:00:03] A woman in a greenhouse carefully inspects and arranges vibrant pink flowers in a tray.

[00:00:09] A young child gently touches a small yellow chick held by a volunteer in a wire cage.

[00:00:16] A young girl smiles as she pets the nose of a brown cow in a barn setting while a volunteer guides the interaction.

[00:00:25] A girl wearing a colorful, glittery headband carefully observes a large insect crawling on a volunteer's hand.

[00:00:33] Outside on a sunny day, a young child attempts to throw a basketball into a hoop mounted on a large green display.

[00:00:40] A young boy sits in the operator seat of a small piece of machinery, looking excited as he holds the steering wheel.

[00:00:48] A girl with braided hair smiles as she shakes a small tube containing a colorful liquid during a science demonstration.

[00:00:55] A group of children and adults cheer while watching a cockroach race on a green tabletop track.

[00:01:01] Two teenagers work together to open a wooden display box featuring a QR code for an interactive scavenger hunt.

[00:01:09] A girl in a pink sweater looks through a microscope in a laboratory setting.

[00:01:13] A volunteer helps a young child plant a seedling in a container filled with soil.

[00:01:18] A young boy attempts to milk a cow in a barn with a bucket placed underneath.

[00:01:24] Aerial view of the Purdue campus filled with white tents and event attendees.

[00:01:31] Onscreen Text: "Purdue Agriculture Spring Fest. April 18, 2026. 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m."

[00:01:36] [MUSIC FADES OUT]

How Do I Make My Video Content Meet Accessibility Standards? 

To comply with current Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), all video content should include the following elements:

  • Captions: Provide a caption file for all videos that include audio tracks (music, narration, or voices).
  • Transcripts with Audio/Visual Descriptions: Include a text transcript that covers both audio content and on-screen visuals not described in the narration.
  • Audio Description (AD) Video: Provide an alternative version of the video with an audio track that describes visual elements not covered by the primary narration.

caption tools:

  • YouTube/Facebook/X/LinkedIn: Auto captioning tools have improved, but are still not 100% accurate, so you will need to either edit those files or use built-in options with Adobe Premiere to transcribe your video and create caption files. You can also use a service like Rev.com to create a caption file. (45 min free per month or contact our video team for additional support).
  • Note: Instagram currently requires on-screen captions. Use Adobe Express to add titles onscreen.

transcript tools:

  • YouTube/Facebook/X/LinkedIn: Adobe Premiere can transcribe your video and export text files for transcripts.
  • You can use AI tools such as Microsoft Copilot to clean up transcript files for embedding on web pages. For example, a prompt of "use the attached text transcript, create a version that meets WCAG 2.2 standards and remove the timecodes." would help format any text.
  • Otter.ai - An additional service for transcriptions.

audio description (AD) tools:

  • 3Play Video: Purdue University's preferred vendor for AD videos. Please contact our video team for additional support.
  • AI options include using Gemini or Claude to create a WCAG 2.2 Combined Transcript/Audio Description file or create a script for an AD video that can be narrated with an AI voice through Google Studio.
    • For example, this AD video was created using Google Gemini to create an audio description script, Google Studio to generate the audio narration, and Adobe Premiere to edit the new audio track.  Note: The narration extended the video to three times its original length due to necessary pauses to accommodate the new audio track.
    • Example AI prompt:  "Using the attached video, create a combined verbatim transcript without changing any text and an audio description document that meets WCAG 2.2 standards."

FAQ

Q: What exceptions are possible?
A: Captions are not required when the synchronized media is an alternate presentation of information that is already available in text on the page.

Q: When are captions not required?
A: If your video with audio is essentially a supplementary version of text content that already exists on the page, and you clearly label it as a media alternative, then captions aren't required.

Q: What is the best approach for prerecorded video with audio?
A: Having captions and a transcript is actually the ideal approach! A transcript alone doesn't replace captions. Captions are synchronized with the video, which is essential for users who are watching. A transcript is a separate text document.

Q: Where can I learn more about this topic?
A: Additional resources are available on this topic, including:

Q: What is an example of an audio description?
A: These resources contain additional examples: