Section 508 requirements for screencasts?
September 7, 2010 9:05 PM Subscribe
Section 508 requirements for training videos intended for use within a small office within the federal government (United States)?
I'll be making screencasts with Camtasia to teach workflows specific to a small office within a subsection of a subdivision of a part of a large federal agency. I believe there are certain features the videos must possess in order to meet section 508 requirements that are mandated by law.
1. Is that belief correct?
2. Where can I find a succinct write-up of the requirements (not nice-to-have-ments, but requirements) that is accessible to the layperson and spells out the meaning of any 508-specific jargon?
3. I believe section 508 treats different kinds of platforms differently. Is this correct? And are screencasts the same as any other video, or does their web/didactic nature complicate/simplify requirements?
4. Are there any loopholes that would lessen the burden--for example, guaranteeing in-person, one-on-one training by request, and in that way meeting any reasonable accommodation requirements?
5. Specific tips or instructions on how to meet requirements entirely within Camtasia would be greatly appreciated.
At the moment, we plan on each video having a complete transcript and closed captions. We're thinking of having the captions embedded directly in the video, so there is no way to turn them on or off--they will be always-on. Is that a problem?
The videos will likely be distributed on discs, copied directly to workstation hard drives, and/or hosted online. Mentioned in case method of distribution/access has any bearing.
Asking anonymously because I want this question to be entirely on the down-low and avoid it being linked to my work situation through a google search. I don't believe anyone else involved has thought that there might be accessibility requirements, and I don't want to bring it up until I thoroughly understand the situation and how to meet any requirements.
I'll be making screencasts with Camtasia to teach workflows specific to a small office within a subsection of a subdivision of a part of a large federal agency. I believe there are certain features the videos must possess in order to meet section 508 requirements that are mandated by law.
1. Is that belief correct?
2. Where can I find a succinct write-up of the requirements (not nice-to-have-ments, but requirements) that is accessible to the layperson and spells out the meaning of any 508-specific jargon?
3. I believe section 508 treats different kinds of platforms differently. Is this correct? And are screencasts the same as any other video, or does their web/didactic nature complicate/simplify requirements?
4. Are there any loopholes that would lessen the burden--for example, guaranteeing in-person, one-on-one training by request, and in that way meeting any reasonable accommodation requirements?
5. Specific tips or instructions on how to meet requirements entirely within Camtasia would be greatly appreciated.
At the moment, we plan on each video having a complete transcript and closed captions. We're thinking of having the captions embedded directly in the video, so there is no way to turn them on or off--they will be always-on. Is that a problem?
The videos will likely be distributed on discs, copied directly to workstation hard drives, and/or hosted online. Mentioned in case method of distribution/access has any bearing.
Asking anonymously because I want this question to be entirely on the down-low and avoid it being linked to my work situation through a google search. I don't believe anyone else involved has thought that there might be accessibility requirements, and I don't want to bring it up until I thoroughly understand the situation and how to meet any requirements.
And I forgot to add: One good source of information is Webaim.
posted by expialidocious at 10:39 PM on September 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by expialidocious at 10:39 PM on September 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
Hi Anonymous, I work for TechSmith (creator of Camtasia Studio) and would love to talk with you about captioning: d.foster@techsmith.com.
posted by fosteronomo at 10:10 AM on September 13, 2010
posted by fosteronomo at 10:10 AM on September 13, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
First, the section 508 standards are in the midst of being rewritten. The standards currently in force are based on WCAG 1.0. The new standards will be based on WCAG 2.0. 1.0 is a lot simpler, but it is tied to the technologies of 1999. 2.0 is designed to be technology-independent. It's also a lot more verbose, and it can be harder to understand how to apply it, precisely because it is technology-independent.
For your specific questions:
1. Yes. Video accessibility standards apply to training or informational products developed by federal government agencies, as long as they relate to the agency's mission. See ยง 1194.24, paragraphs c and d.
2. The regulations linked above describe the basic requirements: open or closed captioning for audio elements, and audio description for visual elements. The web requirements further state that alternate content should be synchronized with the rest of the presentation.
3. The basic requirements are format-independent. However, if you are delivering the material using software such as a Flash video player, the player and its controls must also be accessible.
4. This is what they call 'equivalent facilitation' in the regs. As long as access is equal or greater, you should be fine. However, I recommend doing as much as you can to make the core presentation accessible. The overall burden is less, and it's not good when people have to make special requests in order to get access.
5. I don't know anything specific about Camtasia. Having a transcript is a good addition, but is not a replacement for synchronized captions. I'm not sure what you mean by having closed captions that you can't turn off - that sounds more like open captions.
MeMail or email me if you want to discuss further.
posted by expialidocious at 10:37 PM on September 7, 2010