Overview
When teaching with video or audio, it is important that you create content with Universal Design in mind. This article outlines general guidelines for ensuring your content is equally accessible to all learners.
Content and Universal Design
When creating content, you need to ensure that you’re accommodating all learners. Some recommendations are:
- Microsoft apps allow you to add alternative text to a shape, picture, chart, or smart object, providing a specific description on what is being displayed is recommended, so it can be easily read and comprehend.
- With video and audio, we have tools that generate automatic transcripts that can be read by the user or a screen reader.
SVSU requires video and audio content to be transcribed if you are using them in a future semester.
Tools that create transcripts and captions
Automated transcription is not 100% accurate because it is machine generated. Transcripts should be reviewed and edited to ensure accuracy, especially if you are reusing content to meet ADA Compliance. All mentioned tools below include a transcript editor, except Microsoft Teams.
- EchoVideo: A comprehensive lecture capture and video hosting system with an integrated Active Learning Platform (ALP). The system allows SVSU faculty to record video lectures for students to view on a computer. All content is accessible via Canvas.
- Microsoft Teams: A collaboration platform that is part of the Office 365 subscription. It offers organized IM communication, file sharing, video meetings, and Office and third-party app integration. Use Teams within departments, for cross-campus communication, file-sharing, or online class meetings.
- Microsoft Stream: An online video-sharing platform that allows registered students, faculty, and staff to view, create quick videos for up to 15 minutes, publish, and share videos within SVSU. You can record your entire screen or an application window with your camera and microphone. Videos stored in MS Stream can be shared in multiple places internally with Microsoft 365 suite and Canvas if enabled, there is also commenting, closed captions, and more.
- Zoom: A cloud-based video communication tool offered as a paid subscription and is not currently a University-wide solution. Zoom is best used for synchronous online meetings featuring screen sharing, webcam, polling, cloud recording, and chat.