Accessible Video Media Tips

There are simple tips and tricks you can use to provide accessible video or other media content:

If you have additional video and media accessibility questions, or you need existing material captioned, please email eita@gonzaga.edu.

Apply a search filter in YouTube

When searching for YouTube videos, you can filter the search to only give you closed captioned options, saving you the work of determining if a video has proper captions. Follow the steps below to search for only captioned video:

  1. Go to  and type video keywords in the search bar.
  2. When YouTube gives you a list of results, click the Filters dropdown menu below the search bar.
  3. Under the Features column, select Subtitles/CC. The search results will change to only subtitled and closed captioned videos.
  4. Select a desired video.
  5. When showing the video, turn on closed captions by clicking the "CC" option in the bottom right corner of the video.

Use resources that provide captioning reliably

Some YouTube channels, especially those specializing in education, provide quality captioned material that is accessible to a wide variety of individuals. Below is a list of popular YouTube channels with captioned videos that may pertain to your work:

Before showing a video, please verify that captions are included, appear accurate and are not auto-generated captions.

Purchase accessible video or media

Purchasing accessible video or other audiovisual media is much easier (and less expensive) than retrofitting inaccessible material to make it accessible. If you are making a media purchase, consider whether or not the material provides closed captioning and audio description. If the material is necessary for your class or work, but isn't accessible, please email eita@gonzaga.edu and an EITA Technician can assist you.

Use YouTube or other captioning sites

If you decide to caption videos yourself, there are sites that can assist you with generating editable captions and syncing captions to video.

If you are using a YouTube account to post content, you can use auto-captions to create a rough transcript and edit for accuracy. This method might be worthwhile if there isn't much editing needed, or if the editing process can be completed quickly. Follow YouTube's steps below to :

  1. Go to your Video Manager by clicking your account in the top right > Creator Studio > Video Manager > Videos.
  2. Next to the video you want to add captions or subtitles to, click the drop-down menu next to the Edit button.
  3. Select Subtitles and CC.
  4. If automatic captions are available, you'll see Language (Automatic) in the "Published" section to the right of the video.
  5. Review automatic captions and edit or remove any parts that haven't been properly transcribed.

Captioning sites like  (free) and ($20 year subscription) can also assist with creating and syncing captions to media.

If you have video or media that is lengthy, fast-paced, or needs further assistance with captioning, please email eita@gonzaga.edu.

Avoid auto-generated captioning

While YouTube provides auto captions into its video player, they aren't considered a suitable solution for captioning video or other media. The quality of auto captions can vary depending on factors like the speaker(s) in the video, the speaking rate, dialects, and the complexity of the information. The lack in accuracy and quality of the auto captions can result in unequal access to information in video or media.

To provide accessible video media, the captioning tips above can assist you in searching for captioned material, editing auto captions for accuracy, or purchasing captioned material for your class or work.