Accessibility: Captions, Transcripts, and More
At Insight Video Project we design informational videos to be accessible by default. Accessibility broadens reach, improves comprehension, and supports viewers with different needs. Captions and transcripts are central tools: captions help deaf or hard-of-hearing viewers and benefit anyone in noisy or caption-preferred environments; transcripts help search, translation, and assistive technologies. Beyond text, accessible visuals, clear narration, considered pacing, and high contrast support diverse audiences. We balance production constraints with an emphasis on quality captions and accurate transcripts, and we document how viewers can request accommodations. The sections below describe our standards, workflow, and how you can request improvements or report accessibility issues.
Captions and Transcripts: Quality and Process
We create captions and transcripts with two goals: accuracy and readability. For scripted material, captions are generated from final scripts and then timecoded to the video for precise synchronization. For unscripted or interview material, we use a two-step approach: an automated speech-to-text draft followed by human review to correct proper nouns, technical terms, homonyms, and speaker identification. Human review is essential to avoid misinterpretations that can alter meaning. Captions include non-speech information when relevant, such as music cues or significant on-screen sounds, to provide context for viewers who rely on text. Transcripts are published alongside videos with metadata and timestamps so viewers and assistive technologies can search and navigate content quickly. When captions are auto-generated before review, we label them accordingly and prioritize rapid human correction where possible. We retain logs of caption revisions to track improvements and respond to viewer feedback. Our target is readable captions with at least 95% accuracy for scripted pieces and timely transcript publication to support accessibility and discoverability.
Visual & Interaction Accessibility
Accessible video design extends beyond text. We use clear typography in on-screen graphics, avoid low-contrast color combinations, and ensure any essential text in visuals is present in the transcript or video description. Visual pacing is tuned so viewers can process key frames without rapid flashing which could affect viewers with photosensitivity. Interactive elements such as playback controls and transcript links are keyboard accessible and include focus styles. We provide descriptive alt text for cover images and concise summaries for video descriptions to help screen reader users understand content at a glance. When we include diagrams or data visuals, we provide textual summaries explaining the core message and include data in the transcript if relevant. For platform distribution, we follow best practice metadata tagging to enable caption display toggles, and we test on multiple devices and screen readers. Our accessibility checklist is applied during post-production to ensure materials meet practical access standards while remaining concise and suitable for broad audiences.
Requests, Corrections, and Community Help
We welcome accessibility requests and community contributions that improve captions or transcripts. To request an accommodation, use the contact page and include the video title, a timestamp if applicable, and a concise description of the requested change (for example, a corrected caption, improved speaker label, or alternative format). For urgent accessibility failures — such as missing captions on a newly published video — indicate urgency in your message and we will prioritize review. If you can provide corrected text or verified source material, that accelerates our corrections process. We also encourage feedback on visual contrast, playback control issues, or transcript formatting. Our team logs requests, performs verification, and applies corrections with transparent update notes when appropriate. Community-supplied corrections are reviewed and accepted when they meet our sourcing and clarity standards. Our goal is continuous improvement so videos remain usable and informative for the widest possible audience without paywalls or barriers to access.