Captions, audio description and the importance of accessibility in government communications

In recent years, government agencies have increasingly recognized the importance of accessibility and inclusivity in their communications. Captions, transcription and audio description have emerged as crucial tools to ensure that all citizens, regardless of their abilities, have equal access to information and services.

Legal and regulatory framework

Several laws and regulations mandate the use of captions and audio description in government communications. In the US, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act require federal agencies to provide accessible electronic and information technology. This includes ensuring that videos and multimedia content are accessible to individuals with disabilities through captions and audio descriptions.

Captions provide a textual representation of spoken dialogue and important sounds in videos, making content accessible to individuals who are Deaf or hard of hearing. Audio description, on the other hand, provides a spoken narration of visual elements in videos, ensuring that individuals who are blind or with low vision can fully understand the content.

Applications in government agencies

Public Information and Education: Government agencies produce a volumes of public information material, including educational videos, public service announcements and informational webinars. By incorporating captions and audio description, agencies ensure that these resources are accessible to all citizens. For example, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention uses captions and audio description in their health education videos to reach a wider audience, including those with hearing and vision loss.

Emergency communications: During emergencies, clear and accessible communication is critical. Agencies like the Federal Emergency Management Agency use captions and audio descriptions in their emergency alerts and informational videos to ensure that all citizens receive important updates and instructions. This is particularly vital in natural disasters or public health emergencies, where timely and accurate information can save lives.

Public meetings and hearings: Government agencies often hold public meetings, hearings, and work sessions to engage with citizens and gather input on policies and projects. To make these events accessible, some agencies provide real-time captions and audio description. For example, the US Department of Education offers captioning for its public meetings helping more people fully participate in the decision-making process.

Training and professional development: Government employees undergo regular training and professional development. To ensure that these training materials are accessible, agencies include captions and audio description in their e-learning modules and instructional videos. This not only supports employees with disabilities but also promotes an inclusive workplace culture.

Legal and judicial proceedings: In the legal and judicial systems, accessibility is crucial for ensuring that all individuals can participate fully in proceedings. Courts and legal agencies use captions and descriptions in video recordings of trials, hearings and other legal processes. This practice upholds the principles of justice and equality by making legal information accessible to all.

Benefits of accessibility features

Inclusivity and equal access: By incorporating captions and descriptions, government agencies ensure that all citizens, regardless of their abilities, can engage with government communications and services. Employing such accessibility features helps government agencies comply with legal and regulatory requirements, reducing the risk of legal challenges and ensuring adherence to best practices in accessibility.

Enhanced communication: Captions and audio description enhance the clarity and comprehension of multimedia content. Captions benefit not only individuals in the deaf and hard-of-hearing community but also those in noisy environments or non-native speakers while audio description provides valuable context for individuals who are blind or with low vision, making content more engaging and understandable.

Improved public trust and engagement: Demonstrating a commitment to accessibility builds public trust and fosters positive engagement with government agencies. Citizens are more likely to engage with and support agencies that prioritize inclusivity and make efforts to accommodate diverse needs.

Future directions

As technology evolves, government agencies can further enhance accessibility through innovative solutions. Advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning, like Verbit’s Captivate™, have and will continue to improve the accuracy and efficiency of captions and access solutions.

Our proprietary automatic speech recognition technology is designed to meet the personalized captioning and transcription needs of each customer. Captivate is trained with dedicated models designed with customer input for term boosting, proactive research and formatting needs and employs a dynamic domain dictionary that is continuously updated before and during its use.

Additionally, agencies are beginning to explore AI’s more interactive and customizable accessibility features to better meet the needs of individual users.

Feature like Verbit’s Generative AI technology, Gen.V™, which provides insights on customers’ transcripts. Within minutes and the click of a button, Gen.V can generate informative summaries of meetings, conferences or events. It also offers up chaptering and suggested headlines and keywords to make transcripts actionable.

Access to all constituents

Captions and audio description are important tools in making government communications accessible to all citizens. By incorporating these features, government agencies uphold the principles of inclusivity and equal access, comply with legal requirements and enhance public trust and engagement. Verbit is trusted by a variety of agencies to make board meetings, city council meetings and state legislature proceedings more accessible. We deliver accurate captions, transcripts and audio description on any video or event needed by local government bodies and municipalities and services can be contracted under the GSA Schedule. Contact us today for more information.