Captions are essential for accessibility and current best practices recommend that they are visible at all times. Some platforms (e.g., YouTube) create automatic captioning; however, it’s always a good idea to revise the transcripts for accuracy. You can do this by downloading the caption file (usually .srt or .vtt) and correcting any mistakes in a text editor. Then, re-load the new file into the video, following the instructions of your platform.
Include a separate transcript file that includes all text spoken in the video. This ensures the content of the video is available to all learners, including those who rely on screen readers. Please see https://uflib.ufl.edu/find/tutorials/ as an example. Depending on hosting platform, the transcript you create can be used to create or modify the .srt subtitle file to ensure accuracy. For more information on accessibility, check out the following resources:
Making Audio and Video Media Accessible
Additional Information on Captioning (PDF)
LibGuide Design: Best Practices and Guidelines
Library Technology Services: Video & Captioning
Captioning Standards and Best Practices