Accessibility - FAQs regarding Media Accessibility

What is the first step in making media accessible?

Instructors should review all media to be shown during a course prior to the course beginning and, if media is not accessible, look for an accessible version or a substitute.

Look through your department resources and other online sites (listed under University Resources and Streaming Sites below) to see if a captioned version already exists. If you find a captioned version, be sure to turn on the captions prior to showing the media. Review the University of Wisconsin Digital Accessibility Policies & Standards and the Fact Sheet on the new federal ruling regarding web content (which goes into effect April 2026).

What media source types should be made accessible?

At UWM, source material may be in the form of:

• Pre-recorded lectures (on Zoom, Loom, or other similar platforms)
• Podcasts or webinars
• YouTube or Vimeo videos or clips
• PowerPoint presentations

While PowerPoint does allow an instructor to create voice recordings with each slide, this may not meet the accommodation needs of all students. A better option is to export a presentation with voice recordings to an .mp4 file, which can then be made accessible through the same process as other videos.

What types of accommodations might be needed for media?

Depending on each student’s disability and accommodation needs, Media Accessibility may include any or all of the following:

• Captions
• Sign language interpreting
• Transcripts
• Audio descriptions

How will I know if media already has captions?

Media will be labeled “captioned” or may list captioned media symbols in the video description:

Do automated captions provide enough accessibility?

While automated captions are improving greatly, and may even be 95% accurate, they still are not good enough for students, especially when a recording, webinar, etc. contains specific names, terminology, or poor sound quality. Instructors are usually able to go into any video they own and edit the captions, ensuring 100% accuracy.

Who do I call if I know the media is captioned but the captions are not working?

For assistance with classroom equipment and activating captions, see Campus Technology, Faculty & Staff Resources or contact Campus Technology via phone (414-229-2382) or email.

What if I need a transcript of the media I want to use?

Transcripts may be found online more often, as we move closer to federal regulations about web content. A browser search may show links to a video, podcast, or webinar transcript.

When MS Word is open in the browser, a Transcribe feature can be found under the Dictate tool. Simply open a blank document in Word, click the arrow on the Dictate feature, choose Transcribe, and upload an audio file or begin recording.

Once the transcript is completed, it can be added to the blank Word document with separate speakers noted, with timings, or without timings notated.

What if all my videos are in Kaltura? Do I still need to worry about accessibility?

Yes. Kaltura does provide automated captions that are, at this time, around 95% accurate, and instructors are able to review the captions and edit them within their MyMedia portal. Kaltura also provides a transcript for these videos, but the transcript is not downloadable, which may be a barrier for some disabled students.

What should I do if I have additional questions about media accessibility?

Instructors can reach out to ARC’s Assistive Technology Coordinator, Christi Craig, at 414-251-8397 or ccraig@uwm.edu.