A guide to using subtitles, captions and transcripts for accessibility

Learn how to make your videos more accessible with subtitles, captions and transcripts. We explain the differences and how they help people with various access needs.

24th August 2020 By Zoe Portlock

Contents

When it comes to making video content accessible, these are terms we’ve all heard and used at times. But if you’re unsure of which terms refer to which practices, you are not alone. Subtitles and captions are often used interchangeably. Even by large TV and media companies like YouTube and Netflix. But each format is unique and offers different benefits for disabled users.

Let’s take a look at the definitions for each, why they’re used and who benefits from them.

The difference between subtitles and captions

Subtitles translate the speech on-screen to text. They are generally designed for viewers who can hear but do not understand the language in the video.
Captions transcribe both speech and additional audio cues like “knock on the door.” They are designed for viewers who cannot hear the audio in the video.

Both subtitles and captions appear as words onscreen in the video player. They are synchronised with the audio.

Subtitles

Subtitle text displays within the video player itself. Subtitles translate the spoken audio on the screen. But they generally assume that the viewer can hear. This means they only cover the spoken dialogue, often missing out sounds like “knock on the door.”

Judith Heumann interviewed for Crip Camp with Polish subtitles. — Crip Camp shown with Polish subtitles.

Who they benefit

Subtitles are helpful if the video content is in a foreign language to the viewer. Subtitles help users who have difficulty processing auditory information. This might include people with autism or dyspraxia.

But because they only show speech, subtitles are not fully accessible to people who are deaf or hearing-impaired.

Captions

Captions come in two forms, open and closed. Both are often confusingly described as subtitles.

Captions appear in the video player itself. But as well as the dialogue, they include additional audio cues. For example, “cheers and applause”. Captions are created for deaf and hearing-impaired viewers. This means they include all other audio information needed to understand the content.

These non-speech sounds and tone of voice are essential for understanding. For example, a doorbell, fire alarm, or sarcasm. Closed captions give viewers access to context and nuance, beyond the spoken dialogue.

Closed captions

With closed captions, users have the choice to turn them on or off if they would like to.

Closed Captions are the most common form of captioning. Some providers also have customisation options, such as a choice of:

font
colour
size
opacity of the background between the captions

Open captions

A person may add open captions during the video production stage. The viewer cannot turn them on or off. Open captions are commonly used on social media feeds. On Facebook, 85% of videos are watched without sound.

Remember that captions alone do not provide a full-text alternative to the video. Captions assume that the user is able to, or wants to engage with the video player itself.

Supplying both captions and subtitles gives your users a choice in how they want to consume your video content. Whether they have access needs or not.

Transcripts

Transcripts provide access to your video content in a different format and medium. They also describe titles and visual cues that others get from watching the video.

The main difference is that a transcript is separate to the video player. It does not need the user to engage with the video player itself. Instead, they can be accessed on a new webpage. Or as part of an existing page where the video is embedded (like an accordion element, for example).

Types of transcript

Basic transcripts

These simply relay the spoken dialogue within the video. Basic transcripts are used by people who:

are deaf
have a hearing-impairment
have difficulty processing auditory information

Descriptive transcripts

These include all the audio and visual information. It offers everything that a non-disabled user would get form watching the video. They are specifically designed for people who are both deaf and blind.

Think of them as a detailed video script. It includes all the information you need to understand what the video is about.

Creating a transcript

Contextualising the dialogue when you create a transcript is important. For example, if your video introduces the speakers with their name and job title in writing. This information must be introduced in the transcript too.

If there’s a graph, chart or infographic in the video, you must also include a description of these. A transcript which only has the dialogue is not an accessible or complete transcript.

It’s useful to make the distinction between transcripts and transcription. It’s easy to confuse these two terms. Transcription is the act of writing or adding captions to a video. The transcript is the end product.