A Step-by-Step Guide to Making Educational Videos ADA Compliant

Introduction

Video content plays a central role in today's educational landscape, from K-12 classrooms to university lecture halls to online courses. But when videos aren't accessible, students with disabilities are left behind.

ADA Title II requires public schools and universities to provide equal access to their programs and services, which includes making video content accessible to all students.

The risks of non-compliance are significant: legal challenges, Office for Civil Rights (OCR) investigations, and damage to an institution's reputation. But the upside is even greater: ADA-compliant video content supports inclusive learning and benefits all students, including those with disabilities.

In this guide, we'll provide a clear, actionable roadmap to help schools and universities bring their educational videos into compliance with practical tips and time-saving solutions for busy educators and IT teams.

What Is ADA Title II and What Does It Require for Videos?

ADA Title II prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability by state and local government entities, including public schools and universities. Under Title II, educational institutions must ensure that their programs and services, including online learning, are accessible.

For video content, this typically means:

• Accurate captions for all spoken content and relevant sounds.
• Audio description for essential visual information.
• Use of an accessible video player compatible with assistive technologies.

The U.S. Department of Justice points to WCAG 2.1 as the technical standard commonly used to evaluate compliance. Learn more on ADA.gov.

Common Mistakes Made by Schools and Universities

Many institutions inadvertently fall short of ADA Title II video compliance. Here are some frequent pitfalls:

• Assuming that auto-generated captions are sufficient.
• Overlooking the need for audio description in visually rich educational videos.
• Using video players that are not compatible with screen readers or keyboard navigation.
• Failing to address the accessibility of legacy video content in online courses.
• Not including accessibility requirements in content production workflows or vendor contracts.

Avoiding these mistakes is the first step toward true compliance.

Step-by-Step Guide for Bringing Educational Videos Into Compliance

Here's a practical checklist your team can follow:

1️⃣ Audit Your Existing Video Content

• Identify all videos used in your courses, training materials, public-facing sites, and LMS platforms.
• Include pre-recorded lectures, video assignments, tutorials, promotional videos, and more.

2️⃣ Prioritize Critical Content

• Focus first on videos that are:
• Required for course participation.
• Widely used or frequently accessed.
• Part of high-profile programs or public content.

3️⃣ Ensure Captions Are Accurate

• Do not rely solely on auto-captioning.
• Use professional captioning services or carefully review and edit captions for accuracy, timing, and completeness.

4️⃣ Add Audio Description Where Needed

• For any video where visual information is essential (demonstrations, diagrams, on-screen text, scenes with action), provide an audio description track.
• This is especially important for online courses and instructional videos—review our walkthrough on adding audio descriptions to existing videos if you're retrofitting legacy assets.

5️⃣ Use an Accessible Video Player

• Ensure that your video player:
• Supports screen readers and keyboard navigation.
• Allows users to access and toggle captions and audio description tracks.

6️⃣ Procure Tools to Support Scalability

• Manual creation of audio description and captions can overwhelm internal resources.
• Automated tools like ViddyScribe help scale compliance efforts efficiently.

7️⃣ Build Accessibility Into Your Production Workflow

• Update internal guidelines and procurement processes to require ADA Title II video compliance for all new content.
• Train staff and faculty on best practices for creating accessible video materials.

8️⃣ Document and Monitor Compliance

• Keep records of compliance efforts and completed accessibility work.
• Regularly review and update video content to ensure ongoing compliance.

How Tools Like ViddyScribe Can Save Time and Ensure Accuracy

For many educational institutions, adding audio description is the most challenging part of achieving ADA Title II video compliance.

Manual production is costly and time-consuming, especially when dealing with large volumes of video content.

ViddyScribe, the #1 audio description provider, offers an unmatched solution:

• Best-in-class AI-powered audio description with superior quality and accuracy.
• Incredibly simple user experience designed for educators and administrators.
• Additional closed caption capabilities in 30+ languages, making it a one-stop-shop for compliance.
• Export VTT files ready for LMS platforms and accessible video players.
• Batch processing of large video libraries, perfect for university and K-12 use cases.

By automating key parts of the process, ViddyScribe helps institutions scale compliance while reducing cost and effort.

Conclusion

Making educational videos ADA compliant is not just about avoiding risk. It's about fostering inclusive, equitable learning environments where all students can succeed.

By following the steps outlined in this guide and using tools like ViddyScribe to streamline the process, schools and universities can meet ADA Title II requirements and make their video content truly accessible.

For more tactics, review our walkthrough on making public video platforms accessible and our government agency compliance checklist—both pair well with campus accessibility plans.

Ready to bring your educational videos into compliance? Contact us or try ViddyScribe today.

FAQ

Does ADA Title II apply to online classes?
Yes. ADA Title II applies to all programs and services of public schools and universities, including online classes and distance learning.

How do I make online learning videos ADA compliant?
Start with the same four-part checklist outlined above:

• Audit priority lessons and public-facing recordings.
• Add verified captions plus audio description for visual-only teaching moments.
• Host the files in an accessible player that supports transcripts and keyboard navigation.
• Document tools, reviewers, and WCAG 2.1 success criteria in a shared log.

What is the difference between captions and audio description?
Captions display dialogue and relevant sound cues in text form. Audio description narrates visual information for blind and low-vision users.

Who is responsible for making educational videos ADA compliant?
Responsibility typically lies with a combination of faculty, instructional designers, IT departments, and ADA compliance officers.

Can automated tools like ViddyScribe meet ADA compliance needs?
Yes, provided the output meets functional accessibility requirements. Tools like ViddyScribe are now widely used to help schools and universities achieve ADA Title II video compliance.