The aim of this week is to help you strive to make all your learning resources as accessible as possible. This also extends to our video content, which plays a crucial role in the educational experience.
In this blog, we will explore the importance of video captioning and how it can be effectively implemented using the Panopto system (also known as Recap).
When we refer to video content, we mean recordings provided to students for educational purposes. These recordings are typically delivered via Canvas and include lecture recordings, teaching presentations, and other instructional videos.
By ensuring that these videos are captioned, we can enhance accessibility for all students, including those who are deaf or hard of hearing, non-native English speakers, and individuals who benefit from reading along while listening.
What is ReCap (Panopto)?
Panopto, also known as Recap, is a video platform at Newcastle University. This system facilitates the recording, editing, and sharing of video content, making it an essential tool for both educators and students.
The primary reason for using Panopto is to enhance the learning experience. By providing students with access to lecture recordings and other educational videos, Panopto allows them to review material at their own pace. This flexibility is particularly beneficial for revisiting complex topics and catching up on missed lectures.
Moreover, Panopto significantly contributes to accessibility. It supports students with diverse learning needs by offering features such as video captioning, ensuring that all students, including those who are deaf or hard of hearing, can benefit from the content.
Captioning in Panopto (ReCap)
The ReCap service (Panopto) provides the ability to add ASR (Automatic Speech Recognition) generated captions to your recordings.
The University recognises that automatically generated captions are not 100% correct and have published a captions disclaimer for viewers.
We recommend reviewing automatically generated captions and making light-touch edits before making them available.
How Do I Edit Captions in Panopto (ReCap)
The support pages of the Panopto website offer great advice on how to work with captions in Panopto.
The How to Edit or Delete Captions guide provides a comprehensive guide on how to edit or delete captions in Panopto. It outlines the steps required to access the caption editor, make necessary adjustments to the text, and save changes.
The guide also covers how to delete captions if they are no longer needed. Additionally, it includes tips for ensuring caption accuracy and improving the overall quality of video content. This resource is essential for anyone looking to enhance the accessibility and usability of their Panopto recordings.
There is also a very useful video at How to Add ASR (Automatic Speech Recognition) Captions into a Video to help with editing your captions.
Other Accessible Features in Panopto
Screen Reader Support
Panopto supports screen readers like NVDA and VoiceOver for Mac, making it easier for visually impaired users to access content.
Keyboard Accessibility
All functions in the Panopto web interface can be accessed using the tab key, allowing users to navigate without a mouse.
More information on Keyboard Shortcuts can be found in the following guide: Learn About Keyboard Shortcuts for Video Viewing.
Audio Descriptions
Creators can add audio descriptions to videos, providing additional context for visually impaired viewers.
More information on this can be found in the following guide: How To Add Audio Descriptions.
Variable Playback Speed
Users can adjust the playback speed of videos to match their personal needs, from 0.5x to 2.0x speed.
More information on this can be found in the following guide: Variable Speed Playback With Fast Panopto.