Audio Description vs Captions: What Production Teams Need to Provide for ADA Title II Compliance

Introduction

One of the most common points of confusion for production teams working on accessible video content is understanding the difference between captions and audio description.

Many well-meaning teams assume that adding captions alone is enough to meet accessibility standards. However, under ADA Title II and WCAG 2.1, that's not the case. In many videos, both captions and audio description are required to ensure full compliance.

If your production company is delivering videos for government agencies, schools, or other public-facing organizations, it's critical to understand what must be provided and how tools like ViddyScribe, the #1 provider of AI-powered audio descriptions, can help you do it efficiently.

What Is an Audio Description?

Audio description is a spoken narration that describes important visual content in a video for viewers who are blind or have low vision.

It plays during natural pauses in the dialogue and supplements the audio track with descriptions of:

• On-screen text
• Actions and gestures
• Scene changes
• Facial expressions
• Visual demonstrations

Example:
"A banner reading 'Climate Action Summit 2025' appears on screen."
"The speaker gestures toward a large map of the Pacific Northwest."

Under WCAG 2.1 Success Criterion 1.2.5, audio description is required for pre-recorded videos that convey essential information visually.

What Are Captions?

Captions are a synchronized text version of:

• Spoken dialogue
• Relevant sound effects (e.g. [applause], [door slams])
• Speaker identification when needed

Captions are typically displayed at the bottom of the video and serve viewers who are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as anyone watching in a sound-off environment.

There are two common types:

• Closed captions (CC): can be turned on/off by the viewer.
• Open captions: permanently burned into the video.

Captions do not describe visual elements; that's the role of audio description.

How Each Contributes to ADA Compliance and Why Both Are Often Required

ADA Title II requires state and local governments (and public schools and universities) to provide equal access to their services, including video content.

The Department of Justice references WCAG 2.1 Level AA as the standard for evaluating compliance.

Here's how captions and audio description fit into that standard:

👉 In other words: captions and audio description serve different audiences and meet different compliance requirements.
👉 If your video contains essential visual information not conveyed in audio (as many do), both are required.

What Production Teams Must Deliver for Clients to Ensure ADA Title II Compliance

If your production company is delivering content for clients subject to ADA Title II (government agencies, public schools, universities), here's what you should plan to provide:

✅ Accurate Captions

• Must reflect spoken dialogue and relevant sounds.
• Auto-captions alone are not sufficient unless reviewed and corrected.
• Should be provided in VTT, SRT, or embedded format depending on client needs.

✅ Audio Description

• Must be provided for videos with essential visual information.
• Can be delivered as:
• A separate VTT file for supported video players.
• An alternate descriptive audio track.
• A version of the video with audio description mixed in.

✅ Delivery Notes

• Confirm client platform (LMS, CMS, video player) requirements.
• Ensure that both captions and audio description can be toggled or accessed by the viewer.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid:

• ❌ Assuming that "captioned" means "ADA compliant."
• ❌ Failing to inform clients when audio description is needed for compliance.

By delivering both elements, clearly labeled and ready for your client's platform, your production house protects both the client and your own business from legal and reputational risk.

How Tools Like ViddyScribe Can Help Production Teams Meet These Needs

Historically, adding audio description and high-quality captions has been slow and expensive.

That's why ViddyScribe, the #1 provider of AI-powered audio descriptions, is designed to support production companies directly:

Best-in-Class Audio Description

• AI-generated audio description with superior quality and accuracy
• Fast, scalable, and customizable
• Outputs VTT files or descriptive audio tracks
• Incredibly simple user experience designed for production professionals

Additional Caption Support

• High-accuracy captions in 30+ languages
• Ready for review and export
• Supports VTT, SRT, and other common formats

Workflow-Friendly

• Works with your existing post-production pipeline
• No need for complex integrations; simply upload, process, export

Cost-Effective

• A fraction of the cost of traditional post vendors
• Scales easily across projects and clients

By adding ViddyScribe to your toolkit, your production team can:

• ✅ Deliver ADA Title II-compliant videos with both captions and audio description
• ✅ Enhance your value to government, education, and corporate clients
• ✅ Save time and budget while growing your margins

Conclusion

For modern production companies, accessibility is not optional. It's a professional responsibility and a client expectation.

Captions and audio description are both essential components of ADA Title II and WCAG 2.1 video compliance, and they serve different accessibility needs.

ViddyScribe, as the #1 provider of AI-powered audio descriptions, makes it simple to provide both, helping your production house stay competitive, compliant, and trusted.

Ready to elevate your accessibility offerings? Contact us or try ViddyScribe today.

FAQ

Are captions enough for ADA Title II compliance?
No, captions address the needs of deaf and hard of hearing users, but audio description is required to serve blind and low-vision users when essential visual information is present in the video.

How do I add both captions and audio descriptions?
You can use ViddyScribe, the #1 provider of AI-powered audio descriptions, to generate both:

• High-quality, AI-powered audio descriptions.
• Plus, human-edited closed captions in 30+ languages.

What's the difference between open captions vs. closed captions?
Closed captions can be turned on or off by the viewer, whereas open captions are permanently part of the video. Both serve the same accessibility function, but closed captions offer more flexibility.

Does my production company need to provide audio descriptions?
If you are producing videos for clients subject to ADA Title II, you must ensure they have the necessary files for compliance, including audio description (as a VTT file or audio track) for any video containing essential visual content.

How can I offer audio description affordably?
ViddyScribe offers pricing plans designed for production companies, allowing you to add audio description and captioning services to your offerings at a fraction of the cost of traditional vendors.