ADA & Section 508 Checklist: Making University Videos Fully Accessible

ADA & Section 508 Checklist: Making University Videos Fully Accessible

• Five laws & standards dictate campus video accessibility: ADA Title II/III, Section 504, Section 508, WCAG 2.2, and state equivalents. ADA.gov

• Captions + transcripts are mandatory for prerecorded lecture capture under WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 1.2.2; audio description covers visual-only information (SC 1.2.3). W3C

• Human-verified captions boost comprehension by 16 % and help 90 % of students learn more effectively—regardless of disability status. sorenson.comUniversity of West Florida

• GoTranscript’s ISO-27001 secure workflow delivers 99 %-accurate captions, transcripts, and AD that satisfy every checkpoint below—fast enough for next-day LMS upload.

• Failing to comply leads to costly OCR settlements (CUNY, Harvard, MIT) and lost federal funding; a proactive checklist prevents violations. 3Play Media

1. Know the Rules of the Game

Bottom line: meeting WCAG 2.2 Level AA ticks the ADA/504/508 boxes for video.

2. 10-Point Accessibility Checklist for University Videos

1. Accurate Captions (99 %+) – Human-edited to pass ADA “effective communication” standard.

2. Verbatim Transcripts – Provide a text-only alternative for students using screen readers or translation tools.

3. Audio Description (AD) – Describe on-screen visuals critical to understanding (charts, demos).

4. Speaker Identification – Label instructors, guest lecturers, and student questions.

5. Synchronized Timing – Captions must match speech within 100 ms.

6. Keyboard-Navigable Player – All controls operable without a mouse. accessiBe

7. Contrast-Compliant Subtitle Styling – Minimum 4.5:1 ratio against background.

8. Multiple File Formats – VTT/SRT for LMS, TXT/PDF for note-taking.

9. Secure Storage & FERPA Controls – Restricted access to class rosters or IRB teams.

10. Retention & Audit Logs – Keep caption files and QC reports for at least three years.

Pro Tip: GoTranscript bundles 1–5 automatically; 6–10 are handled via our LMS plugin or Kaltura/Panopto export.

3. Implementation Workflow for Staff & Instructional Designers

1. Record Clean Audio (boundary mics; 48 kHz WAV).

2. Upload to GoTranscript EDU Portal—supports Zoom cloud links or LMS drag-and-drop.

3. Select Services:

   • Captions + transcript (default)

   • Optional AD track for STEM labs, sign-language videos, or graphic-heavy slides.

4. Add Course Glossary—ensures accurate STEM/medical terms.

5. Choose Turnaround—6 h, 24 h, or 48 h cost-saver.

6. Auto-Publish back to Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle, or YouTube EDU via API.

Result: fully accessible lecture videos within a day—no extra clicks.

4. Why Captions & Transcripts Drive Learning Outcomes

• +16 % comprehension gain when captions are on. sorenson.com

• 90 % of students—disabled or not—report captions aid retention. University of West Florida

• ESL & neurodiverse learners rely on searchable transcripts to reinforce terminology. National Deaf Center

• Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles recommend text + audio + visual to hit multiple sensory pathways.

5. Avoiding Legal & Financial Risk

The DOJ and Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights now cite WCAG 2.2 in investigations; recent settlements exceed $1 million in remediation plus public scrutiny.
Preventive action costs ~$1.25 per video minute with GoTranscript campus pricing—pennies compared to post-violation fixes.

6. Frequently Asked Questions

Is auto-captioning enough to satisfy Section 508?
No. Machine captions average 85 % accuracy—13 % below the DOJ’s “effective” threshold. Failures trigger compliance notices.

How fast must captions be posted?
Best practice is within 24 hours; OCR letters treat multi-day delays as barriers to equal access.

Do I need audio description for slide decks with voice-over?
Yes, if spoken narration doesn’t fully describe critical on-screen visuals (graphs, equations).

Can my video player cause non-compliance?
Absolutely; lack of keyboard focus indicators or inaccessible controls will fail Section 508. Choose LMS players certified to WCAG 2.2.

7. Next Steps

1. Download our free ADA & Section 508 video audit template.

2. Upload a 5-minute test lecture to GoTranscript—get captions & transcript back in hours.

3. Share results with your accessibility steering committee and lock in bulk-minute discounts.