Multimedia Accessibility (for users w/o sound)

• Captions provide a text equivalent for any audio content within a multimedia presentation. This makes the presentation accessible to someone who is unable to hear the audio.
• Open captions are integrated into the video stream, and can not be turned off. Result is one file: Easier to distribute.
• Closed captions exist in a separate track, and can be turned on or off. Result is searchable. Distribution typically requires multiple files.

Multimedia Accessibility (for non-visual users)

• Audio description, video description, descriptive video, described video (synonyms)
• A separate narrative track, for people who can't see critical visual content
• Can be avoided by assuring that all important information is communicated visually and audibly
• If needed, recording narrative segments can be synchronized with video using multimedia editing or captioning software

The Captioning Process

• Create a transcript
• Divide the transcript into caption-sized segments
• Use a captioning tool to timestamp the caption-sized segments
• Save to an output file that is appropriate for your media type

Captioning Tools

• MAGpie
• HiCaption
• Captionate (for Flash)

The Audio Description Process

• Avoid the need for audio description where possible, by assuring that all important information is communicated visually and audibly
• Carefully script audio description:
  • Choose words carefully so as not to distort the message
  • Find suitable moments for inserting audio (avoid conflicts with existing dialog or important sounds)
• Record audio description segments
• Synch audio description with video using media synchronization software (e.g., MAGpie)

Hands-on Demo: Part 1

• Start MAGpie
• File > Create New Project...
• Browse to base media (doit.mov)
• Change settings as needed
• Confirm that presentation layout dimensions are correct (80 pixels for caption height is ok)
• Select "OK"

Hands-on Demo: Part 2

• File > Save (save to demo folder)
• Transcribe video if needed
  F6 = start/pause media player
  F7 = stop media player (return to beginning)
  Enter twice advances to new caption
• OR Captions > Insert Captions from File (captions.txt)

Hands-on Demo: Part 3

• Watch the video, be ready to hit...
• F9 to set start time of current caption
• F10 to set end time of current caption (not required if captions are continuous)
• File > Save (when finished)
• Watch again, correcting times if needed
• File > Export (to format suitable for your media type)

Playing Captioned Videos

• To play captioned Quicktime and Real videos, play the .smil file
• To play captioned Windows Media videos, play the original media (e.g., .wmv file).
• The SAMI file must be in the same folder
• OR Point to the SAMI in a reference file (see next slide)

Sample Windows Media Reference File (doit.asx)

Embedding Video in Web Pages

• Media Player Accessibility (WebAIM, an older article but still contains useful information)
• Overview of methods (from Adobe)
• Flash Embedding Cage Map (from A List Apart)

Resources for Captioning Flash

• FLVPlaybackCaptioning component (in Adobe Flash CS3)
• Michael Jordan's Accessible FLVPlayback skins
• NCAM CC for Flash
• Klein & Thompson Accessible Flash Player
• Captionate (Manitu Group)
• RIT Media Player

Captioning Institution-Wide

• Empower the infrastructure:
  • Who creates multimedia?
  • Who provides streaming services?
  • Who offers relevant training and support?
• Utilize student help
• Document a procedure. Identify responsible parties.
• Be sure that captioning is included in discussions about video search

Can speech recognition help?

• Speech recognition can not yet produce a reliable transcript of untrained speakers
• Speech recognition can be used by transcribers with training and practice
• Speech recognition can be used to produce captions from a transcript

Automatic Sync Technologies

• automaticsync.com/caption
• Uses speech recognition to identify when known words and phrases are being spoken
• Upload transcript and media file via web form
• Caption files are delivered by email within minutes
• Affordable pricing ($30-$70/video hour)
• Transcription services also available ($107-$163/video hour)

Closed Captioning & Video Search

• MIT Lecture Browser
• Everyzing.com
• DO-IT Video Search

Google Video Supports Captions

• Instructions for captioning Google Videos
• Displays captions if available
• Supports links within videos from search results
• Google video player is NOT accessible to people using screen readers or people who can't use a mouse