My latest posts have been AI heavy: ironically, this one is too. Without AI, captioning videos was expensive and cumbersome. Few colleges really had the time or money for it. At community and technical colleges, we’re all juggling heavy work and teaching loads, diverse student needs, under-staffed, under-funded, and rapidly evolving technologies. It’s no wonder many faculty still hesitate to use video in their courses, especially when they think captioning is still the onerous process it once was.
But times have changed.
Thanks to AI-powered platforms like Panopto and Zoom, captioning has never been easier, more accurate, or more accessible. The National Institute of Health says that “More than 100 empirical studies document that captioning a video improves comprehension of, attention to, and memory for the video. Captions are particularly beneficial for persons watching videos in their non-native language, for children and adults learning to read, and for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing.” In other words, captioning should be a non-negotiable part of your teaching toolkit because:
1. Accessibility Is Equity
Captioning is a cornerstone of inclusive education. For students who are Deaf or hard of hearing, captions are essential. But they also help English language learners, neurodivergent students, and others who benefit from reading along with audio.
Captioning supports multiple means of representation which is one of the key pillars of Universal Design for Learning (UDL).
2. Captions Boost Comprehension and Retention
Research shows that captions help students retain information better. Seeing and hearing information simultaneously strengthens understanding and memory, especially for complex content or unfamiliar terminology.
3. Searchable Content = Better Learning
With tools like YouTube or Panopto, captions become searchable transcripts. Students can quickly find key moments by searching a keyword. That’s not just convenient; it’s a game-changer for review and studying.
4. Students Use Captions, Whether You Know It or Not
Studies repeatedly show that most students turn on captions, even if they don’t have an accommodation. They might be in noisy environments, on the bus, in a crowded apartment, workplace breakroom, or simply prefer reading along. Why not meet them where they are?
5. It Future-Proofs Your Materials
Think ahead: accessibility requirements are only going to become more rigorous. Especially with the DOJ letter from April of 2024 giving us all a deadline of April, 2026! Captioning now ensures your course materials stay compliant, usable, and shareable whether you’re teaching online, hybrid, or in-person with supplemental media.
6. Fewer Accommodation Requests
Captioned videos lead to fewer student interventions and fewer last-minute scrambles to meet accommodation requests. The students should not have to make these requests. We can build this into your workflow. That’s more time teaching, less time troubleshooting. By building accessibility in everything we do, we are creating a more inclusive experience for everyone.
No Time Like the Present
May is Global Accessibility Awareness month. If you’ve been avoiding video because of captioning hassles, now is the time to rethink that. The barriers are lower, the tools are better, and the benefits are undeniable.
Start small: Try captioning one short video: a video welcoming your students to your class, or letting them know that you value access and inclusion. Let your students know. See what they say. You might be surprised at the impact.
