Captioning media in the Media Library in D2L Brightspace

Captioning in D2L’s Media Library

D2L’s Media Library allows video and audio files to include and display caption files. From the Media Library, captions can be uploaded from an existing caption file, created manually, requested from enhanced artificial intelligence through a machine generated solution, and edited and refined to match specific captioning guidelines to help comply with ADA requirements for fully accessible content.

Requesting machine-generated captions

From the Media Library, you can request machine-generated captions for media as a starting point to ensure that your video is effectively closed captioned.

1. Select Media Library from the Other Tools menu in the course navigation bar.
2. From the item’s options, select Edit Video.
3. In the Update Video or Audio window, select Advanced Editing
4. In the Advanced Editing window select the Closed Captions tab and select Auto-Generate.
5. Select Auto-Generate again in the confirmation dialog.
6. The process can take up to 30 minutes to generate the captions. You may leave the page and come back to the editor to review and update the generated captions.

Adding or editing captions

Auto-generated captions need to be reviewed and usually adjusted for full ADA compliance. When editing captions, it is important to follow the guidelines and best practices for captioning educational videos. The Described and Captioned Media Program provides a comprehensive Caption Key that should be used.

Quick captioning tips

• Ensure Accurate Representation
  • Errorless captions of audible information is the goal
• Use a Consistent Style
  • Caption timestamp blocks should be 1-6 seconds in duration
  • Consist of 32 characters or less per line
  • Only have 1-2 lines of text per screen
  • Use proper case, punctuation, and appropriate line and screen breaks
• Provide Clear Representation 
  • Include speaker identification, non-speech information, and important sound effects for clarity
• Check Readability
  • Synchronize the timestamps with the audio, captions cannot obscure or be obscured by other visual content
• Verify Equality 
  • Preserve the meaning and intention completely to provide an equitable experience

For more information on understanding captions visit the Web Accessibility Initiative site from the World Wide Web Consortium.

Caption Editor Features

• Text Editor
  • Each caption block or cue allows for the Unicode content to be manipulated. Information can be cut or pasted in the textbox or manually adjusted to meet the captioning style guide. Carriage returns should be used appropriately to ensure split content does not cause readability issues.
• Add New Caption Text
  • New caption cues or blocks can be added by typing or pasting content into the New captions text field and then selecting the newly activated plus icon button. This button is only active after text is recognized in the field. Selecting the button will insert the new caption at the current timestamp of the preview video’s play head.
• Delete Caption Blocks or Clearing All Captions
  • Caption cues or individual blocks can be removed by selecting the delete button, indicated by a trash can icon.  All caption blocks can be removed with the clear all button, indicated by a prohibited icon,  or completely replaced by uploading a new caption file for the specific language label.
• Adjust Timestamps
  • The auto-generated captions create caption blocks synchronized with the audio. These caption cues have timestamps collapsed by default, but they can be reviewed by expanding the specific controls button for the cue.
  • The expand controls button is indicated by an open triangle pointing to the right.
  • When expanded, the triangle icon for the control is filled in and points down,
  • In the expanded view, the cue displays the Start and End timestamps.
    
  • The timestamps can be adjusted manually by typing in the field, or automatically set with the current play head position by selecting the synch button  for either the start or the end time.
• Adjust Media’s Caption Label or Add New Language Caption/Subtitle File
  • The Closed Captions tab holds one file for each language label available. If the specific language label has a caption cue content saved, it will be an available option to select when viewing the video and can be selected from the media settings control. English (United States) is the default language label and the default caption file for all media.
• Version History 
  • When the media is changed the option to save is available with either a Save Draft or Finish button. The version history indicates the timestamp of the last committed change and if the saved version was a draft. The drop-down menu lists all previous versions based on time stamps and these can be selected and loaded for reviewing or reverting to, if unintentional changes were applied.