Question 1

What makes video captions ADA-compliant?

Accepted Answer

ADA-compliant captions must be: (1) accurate — 99%+ word accuracy for broadcast, high accuracy for web video, (2) synchronised — captions must match the audio timing, (3) complete — all spoken words and relevant non-speech audio must be captioned, (4) properly placed — not covering important visual content.

Question 2

Who needs to caption their videos under the ADA?

Accepted Answer

Federal agencies (Section 508), state and local governments (ADA Title II), and places of public accommodation — including universities, businesses, and healthcare providers — must caption video content on their public-facing websites. The ADA applies broadly: if your organisation serves the public, video captions are typically required.

Question 3

Can AI-generated captions meet ADA requirements?

Accepted Answer

AI-generated captions at 98%+ accuracy (like VideoText's Whisper-powered output) are generally sufficient for most video content. For legal proceedings, medical content, or content where accuracy is critical, human review of the AI output is recommended. VideoText produces an editable transcript alongside the caption file for this purpose.

Question 4

What format should ADA captions be in?

Accepted Answer

SRT and VTT files are accepted by all major platforms (YouTube, Vimeo, Kaltura, Panopto, Brightcove). For broadcast and enterprise delivery, SCC (CEA-608/708) or TTML may be required. VideoText exports SRT and VTT.

ADA Video Captions — Generate Captions for Section 508 Compliance

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